The Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) has launched a probe against Damir Šegota, the former director of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO). Šegota is charged with bribery and money laundering, for which he has been remanded in custody by the investigating judge. The decision on the measure is made by the investigating judge of the Zagreb County Court. Šegotta submitted his resignation as director of the HOO Olympic programme following the initiation of the proceedings.
Šegota was arrested on Thursday alongside his wife. Following questioning at the USK headquarters, his wife was released as no case had been opened against her. According to investigators, Šegota received a bribe from Vedran Pavlek, the former secretary of the Croatian Ski Association. The aim of the alleged offence was to ensure that the Croatian Ski Association received larger sums of money from the Olympic Committee's budget from 2018.
Vedran Pavlek, identified as the source of the bribe, is currently at large and hiding in Kazakhstan. The investigation also covers the suspicion that Šegota and his wife were laundering money through investment in gold. The total amount of the illicit payments in the affair is estimated at 30 million euros. The arrests followed media reports that the former secretary of the Croatian Ski Association, Damir Raos, had completed his defence.
Damir Raos admitted to making payments at Pavlek's behest, providing detailed information to investigators on where the cash from the list was taken. The list was found on the border crossing at Bregana on 31 January 2026 by the suspect, who had over 116,000 euros in cash. The police and USK raided the premises used by the HOO's general secretary, Siniša Krajač. Krajač was not arrested, nor is he currently the subject of criminal proceedings. The investigation continues to determine the full responsibility of all parties involved in the alleged system of illicit payments and money laundering.
