UP: Former public bailiff arrested, suspected of gambling with creditors' money, damaging the state by over two million euros

Vladan Batak (42) was arrested today on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of abuse of official position by, acting as a public bailiff, transferring money to settle creditors, instead of to the legal recipients, to his own account as well as to the accounts of persons associated with organizers of games of chance.

This was announced today by the Police Administration (UP).

Batak is suspected of causing damage to the budget and citizens of Montenegro in the total amount of 2.052.527 euros.

"Officers of the Crime Prevention Sector - Department for Combating Corruption, Economic Crime, Financial Investigations and Suppression of Environmental Crime, after months of activities, today deprived former public bailiff VB (42) of his liberty and filed a criminal complaint against him with the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Bijelo Polje on suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of abuse of official position over an extended period of time," the UP statement said.

The police add that, in the process leading up to the filing of a criminal complaint, officers from the Department for Combating Corruption, Economic Crime, Conducting Financial Investigations and Suppression of Environmental Crime determined that Batak, acting in his capacity as an official as a public enforcement officer, continuously from 2017 to 2024, illegally appropriated funds entrusted to him in his work, thereby directly acting contrary to the imperative provisions of the Law on Enforcement and Security.

"He transferred funds intended exclusively for the settlement of creditors, instead of forwarding them to the legitimate recipients, to his private account as well as to the accounts of third parties connected with the organizers of games of chance, thereby knowingly abusing public powers to satisfy personal needs. Although the aforementioned funds were entrusted to him exclusively for the purpose of their disposal within the framework of the performance of official duties, the suspect treated the money of creditors and citizens of Montenegro as his own betting stake, and thus, instead of legally implementing final decisions and transferring money to the injured parties, he obtained unlawful material gain for himself, causing material damage to the budget and citizens of Montenegro in the total amount of 2.052.527 euros," the statement reads.

The UP added that they are continuing "with decisive and indiscriminate action in the fight against all forms of crime."

"...with a special focus on corruption and abuse of official position. Our priority remains the protection of legality, strengthening citizens' trust in the institutions of the system, as well as the preservation of their property. Any form of illegal conduct will be discovered and prosecuted in order to preserve the legal order and public interest," the statement concludes.