Croatia jails former Dinamo Zagreb execs for fraud

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ZAGREB: Croatian court sentenced on Wednesday the former chief executive of soccer team Dinamo Zagreb, Zdravko Mamic, to six-and-a-half years in prison for tax evasion and siphoning off profits from player transfers.

Two other former senior Dinamo officials and a tax official were also jailed for the same offenses.

Zdravko Mamic`s brother Zoran Mamic, a former Dinamo coach, was given a prison sentence of four years and 11 months. Damir Vrbanovic, who is currently a senior official in the Croatian Soccer Federation (HNS), was sentenced to three years in prison.

Milan Pernar, a tax official, was jailed for four years and two months.

All had denied any wrongdoing and have a right to appeal to a higher court. None were present in court when the verdict was announced.

Zdravko Mamic left earlier this week for neighboring Bosnia.

The officials had been charged with tax evasion worth 12.2 million kunas ($1.94 million) and for siphoning off 116 million kunas from player transfers from the club.

Dinamo is the most successful Croatian club since the country gained independence in 1991, winning 19 championships.