The police have dismantled a criminal group that, according to the investigation, for years through false reports, fictitious presentation of financial data and transferring money between accounts of several legal entities, embezzled MKD 138.8 million (EUR 2.26 million).
In the police operation, conducted on September 2nd and 3rd under the leadership of the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecuting Organized Crime and Corruption (PPO OCC), three people were arrested – S.S., Sh.S. and Z.G. During searches at several locations in Skopje, approximately 27,735 euros, 38,500 denars, 750 Swiss francs and 100 dollars were found and seized, as well as several mobile phones and two passenger vehicles.
The Financial Crime Unit of the Department for Suppression of Organized and Serious Crime filed criminal charges with the Public Prosecutor’s Office OCC against six individuals and three legal entities. Depending on their alleged role, they are charged with embezzlement in office, money laundering and other proceeds from criminal activity and abuse of office.
The police determined that the main mechanism of the alleged embezzlement is established through a legal entity from Kuchevishte, which has been authorized to conduct technical inspections of vehicles since 2011.
According to the investigation, between January 1, 2021 and January 20, 2026, the prime suspect, with the intention of obtaining illegal material benefit for himself, prepared and submitted false reports on the fees collected during vehicle registration. According to the police, the reports presented inaccurate data, thereby concealing the true amount of funds collected.
A particularly important part of the scheme, according to the investigation, is the use of insurance brokerage company accounts. Although by law only funds for insurance policies should be paid into them, other fees related to vehicle registration are also charged.
According to police allegations, the PE State Roads suffered damage of MKD 48,434,406, the Red Cross lost MKD 1,485,926 denars, and the Ministry of Environment MKD 5,585,098.
