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Two employees of North Macedonia’s State Lottery suspected of misappropriating around €1.3 million

The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje announced that two employees of the State Lottery are suspected of misappropriating approximately €1.3 million during 2024.

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The first suspect headed the Finance and Accounting Department, while the second was responsible for financial matters at the State Lottery of Macedonia, a joint-stock company that organizes games of chance.

According to the prosecution’s allegations, throughout 2024 they abused their official positions to take for themselves money entrusted to them as part of their duties.

Both men, as persons authorized to withdraw cash for the payment of small winnings, as well as being responsible for receiving and paying the daily turnover from sales outlets, failed to deposit all of the 2024 turnover into the transaction accounts of the State Lottery of North Macedonia JSC at commercial banks. According to the prosecution, they misappropriated these funds for themselves. They are also suspected of withdrawing funds from the company’s bank accounts and keeping them for themselves.

Due to circumstances raising suspicions of a risk of flight or concealment, as well as the possibility that they could manipulate, falsify or destroy evidence, the public prosecutor requested that the pre-trial judge at the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje order their detention. The request also cites suspicions that the accused could influence witnesses, experts, associates or concealment facilitators, as well as the possibility of repeating the criminal offense.

As part of the investigation, police conducted searches yesterday at five locations in Skopje and Valandovo. In addition to original accounting documentation, the operation resulted in the seizure of phones, computers, drives, cash, gold and gold jewelry, Swarovski items, expensive watches, and luxury bags from Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Dior and other well-known brands.

The two suspects have been detained by police./Telegrafi/