The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje has issued an order to initiate an investigation against two female financial managers at the “State Lottery” JSC. There is reasonable suspicion that, acting as co-perpetrators, they committed the crime of embezzlement in office by failing to remit or deposit the total daily turnover for 2024—entrusted to them by sales outlets—into the company’s transaction accounts at commercial banks, and instead misappropriating the funds for themselves.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, they misappropriated entrusted funds amounting to 1.3 million euros and are suspected of the criminal offense of embezzlement in office under Article 354, Paragraph 5, in conjunction with Paragraphs 3 and 1 of the Criminal Code. Throughout 2024, the first suspect—serving as Director of the Finance and Accounting Department—and the second suspect—serving as Head of Financial Affairs at the “State Lottery of the Republic of Macedonia” JSC (a company organizing games of chance)—exercised their specific statutory powers and duties to jointly commit the crime of embezzlement, with the intent of obtaining unlawful financial gain for themselves.

They misappropriated entrusted funds totaling a significant amount of 79,989,444 denars. As authorized personnel responsible for withdrawing cash intended for the payout of small winnings and for collecting and depositing daily revenue generated at the company’s own sales outlets, they failed to deposit the total daily revenue for 2024—entrusted to them by the “State Lottery of RSM” AD sales points—into the company’s commercial bank accounts; instead, they misappropriated the funds for themselves. Additionally, they withdrew cash from the “State Lottery of RSM” AD bank accounts, which they also misappropriated for personal use, according to a statement from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.