The Split County Court has upheld an indictment filed by the USKOK anti-corruption office against former Public Administration Minister Lovro Kuscevic of the HDZ party, charged with real estate fraud and perverting the course of justice during his term as head of Nerežišća, a town on the island of Brač.

The investigation into Kuscevic was launched in September 2019 after he stepped down as Public Administration Minister amid media reports that in the period from 2008 to 2018, during his term as Nerezisca mayor, he had unlawfully obtained HRK 4 million.

According to media reports at the time, he obtained the money through fraudulent activities involving land plots, changes of the local physical plan, bankruptcy proceedings and resale of commercial properties.

The investigation against Kuscevic was subsequently expanded twice and also indicted in the case are his wife, his brother-in-law, former Nerezisca Town Council head Jaksa Goic, the head of the town’s administration department, Svemir Obilinovic, and Split businessman Ante Marinovic.