Serbia: Son of Wealthy Businessman Jailed in Tax Fraud

Published: 28 March 2016

MiroslavMiskovic

Miroslav Miskovic

By Igor Spaic

The Belgrade Special Court for Organized Crime has sentenced 10 people, including Marko Miskovic, son of one of the richest people in the Balkans, for tax evasion and abuse of office.

Marko Miskovic was sentenced on Friday to 3.5 years in prison and a fine of eight million Serbian Dinars (RSD) (US$ 73,000). He is the son of Miroslav Miskovic, the owner of Delta Holding, a conglomerate with interests in real estate, import-export and wholesale and retail sales.

The case stems from two indictments.

In 2011, prosecutors charged Milo Djuraskovic, owner of the Nibens Group, with abuse of office causing financial damage of RSD 1.7 billion (US$ 15.5 million) to the lubricant-producing factory Fabrika MazivaKrusevac (FAM), according to the Serbian Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK). Prosecutors said Djuraskovic took loans on behalf of FAM, later transferring the money to other companies within the Nibens Group. He was indicted with six others.

In 2013, a second indictment was filed against Delta Holding's Miroslav Miskovic; his son, Marko; and nine others. According to KRIK, prosecutors said they had ripped off the company by RSD 16 billion (more than US$ 145 million) and defrauded the state by RSD 472 million (more than US$ 4.3 million). They allegedly siphoned off funds from road maintenance companies and evaded tax.

The two cases were later combined into one in court.

Djuraskovic was sentenced to seven years in prison and a fine of RSD 6 million (US$ 54,600). Several Nibens Group directors and representatives also received prison sentences ranging from one to five years, KRIK said.

Miroslav Miskovic's trial was separated last year due to health reasons.

His 2012 arrest was celebrated as a key achievement in the fight against corruption under the government of Aleksandar Vucic.