As part of an investigation into the suspicious financing of Croatian sport, the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) has arrested Damir Šegota, director of the Olympic programme at the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO). Alongside Šegota, his wife has also been arrested; proceedings are underway against her on suspicion of money laundering.
The investigation is based on evidence that Šegota was listed on a register belonging to Vedran Pavlek, director of the Alpine teams at the Croatian Ski Federation (HSS). The amount allegedly belonging to Šegota on that list was 30,000 euros. The lead suspect in the HSS scandal is Pavlek, who is currently at large, while the former long-serving general secretary of the federation, Damir Raos, is formally the highest-ranked person suspected of siphoning off funds.
Under USKOK's order, the Police Directorate for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (PNUSKOK) is conducting urgent evidence-gathering operations. In addition to the arrests of Šegota and his wife, searches were also conducted at the home of HOO general secretary Siniša Krajač. The operations are aimed at gathering key evidence related to the alleged misallocation of funds.
USKOK opened the investigation into the suspected siphoning of around 30 million euros from the HSS in March this year. A total of six people are suspected of the offences in question. The operations are being carried out to establish the entire chain of responsibility and to recover funds intended for Croatian sport.
