A senior official of the Croatian Olympic Committee resigned following his arrest in connection with a high-profile corruption investigation linked to the country’s ski federation. The development is the latest in a scandal involving allegations of embezzlement and bribery amounting to nearly 30 million euros ($35 million).

Damir Segota, director of the committee’s Olympic programme, was arrested on Thursday along with his wife, whose lawyers confirmed their detention and subsequent questioning. While Segota was remanded to one-month detention over fears he might attempt to influence witnesses, his wife was released after initial questioning. Croatian authorities also conducted searches at the Olympic Committee offices associated with Segota and Secretary General Sinisa Krajac, who was questioned as a witness but is not facing any charges.

The investigation originally targeted six individuals, including Vedran Pavlek, the former director of alpine skiing, who remains in custody in Kazakhstan as Croatia seeks his extradition. Prosecutors allege that Pavlek orchestrated a scheme involving significant financial misappropriation from the ski federation. On Friday, authorities expanded the case to include Segota, accusing him of accepting bribes to improperly favor the ski federation, resulting in a substantial increase of the organization’s funding by more than two million euros.

According to prosecutors, Segota received at least 160,000 euros in cash bribes funneled through an intermediary, along with nearly 10,000 euros for his son’s scholarship. In an attempt to conceal these illegal gains, investigators say he purchased investment gold. The Croatian Olympic Committee expressed regret that individual actions might overshadow the dedication of thousands contributing to national sports, endorsing Segota’s decision to resign.

The scandal has already led to the resignation of Zlatko Matesa, the long-serving head of the Croatian Olympic Committee. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic emphasized the necessity of complete transparency in resolving the case, acknowledging that certain individuals abused their positions within the sports system.

The controversy has cast a shadow over a period once considered Croatia’s most successful era in skiing, when Vedran Pavlek oversaw the careers of Olympic medalists Janica and Ivica Kostelic. The siblings brought international acclaim to the small nation with a combined ten Olympic medals, despite the country lacking extensive domestic skiing infrastructure. Croatia’s broader sports achievements, which include Olympic gold medals and a football World Cup final appearance, remain a significant source of national pride.