The recently expanded investigation into the Fimi Media marketing company has revealed that the amount of money of which public companies and ministries were defrauded in one of the biggest corruption scandals in Croatia exceeds HRK 80 million.
Thirteen people are suspected of siphoning the money, according to sources close to the investigation, but Mladen Barisic, a former customs chief and treasurer of the ruling HDZ party, remains the prime suspect for siphoning as much as HRK 40 million via Fimi Media, which is owned by Nevenka Jurak.
Barisic is one of six suspects still in custody. Jurak has been in custody since August, while Josip Sapunar, Zlatko Korpar, Mario Crnjak and Jurica Prskalo were placed in custody last night on the suspicion that they defrauded the HAC highway operator of HRK 26 million.
Although it was speculated that Barisic and Jurak would be released pending trial after being questioned, the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) has still not made such a request to the Zagreb County Court.
The six are in custody to prevent them from witness tampering.
Barisic has allegedly told USKOK investigators that he did everything at the orders of former Prime Minister and HDZ leader Ivo Sanader, who has said that neither Barisic nor anyone else had brought him money and that he knows nothing about illegal funding of his former party.
Given that the investigation in the case is confidential, it is unknown if Sanader has been included on USKOK's list of suspects or witnesses.
