Two financial managers of the State Lottery placed under house arrest and pre-trial detention over suspected embezzlement of €1.3 million

The Basic Criminal Court in Skopje has imposed pre-trial detention and house arrest on two financial executives suspected of wrongdoing at the State Lottery JSC, following a motion by the Prosecutor’s Office in connection with the criminal offense of “embezzlement in office.”

According to the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje, the suspects acted as co-perpetrators during 2024. They are accused of failing to transfer and deposit into the company’s transaction accounts at commercial banks all the daily revenue entrusted to them by the sales outlets.

Authorities suspect that the managers embezzled €1.3 million for personal use, money that had been entrusted to them as part of their duties.

The first suspect served as director of the Finance and Accounting Department, while the second suspect was head of financial affairs at the State Company for Organizing Games of Chance.

The Prosecutor’s Office assesses that, by using the powers and responsibilities defined by law, they collaborated in carrying out unlawful actions with the aim of securing financial gain for themselves.

The suspicions concern the criminal offense of embezzlement in office, provided for under Article 354, paragraph 5, in conjunction with paragraphs 3 and 1 of the Criminal Code.