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| - The trial of Croatia's fugitive football strongman Zdravko Mamic, who is accused of embezzling millions of euros from Dinamo Zagreb, opened before a local court Wednesday. The former Dinamo boss fled Croatia in 2018 just ahead of his conviction in another multi-million-euro graft trial and is hiding in neighbouring Bosnia. He and five others are now being tried before a tribunal in the eastern town of Osijek, with a seventh suspect to be tried separately. The defendants include his brother and current Croatia champions coach Zoran Mamic, son Mario Mamic and former club director Damir Vrbanovic who have all plead not guilty, public HRT broadcaster reported. Mamic, 61, is charged with having organised a "criminal enterprise" with the other defendants with the aim of getting illegal gains at Dinamo's detriment -- costing the club some 26 million euros ($32 million). The suspects were allegedly arranging fictious deals between the club and foreign firms based in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere for "non-existent mediation services during players' transfers", according to the prosecutors. The companies were then issuing receipts for such non-existent services that the club was paying. The offences took place between December 2004 and December 2015. In June 2018 Mamic was sentenced to six-and-a-half-year jail term for embezzling cash through fake deals related to player transfers. That cost Dinamo more than 15 million euros and the state 1.5 million euros. The verdict is not final and the Supreme Court started to review it in January. Two Croatian stars -- Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and Zenit St Petersburg defender Dejan Lovren -- were initially charged with perjury after testifying at Mamic's trial, but the charges were later dropped. Mamic is still widely perceived as the kingpin of Croatia's football scene, which has had international successes but is struggling with hooliganism and poor infrastructure. In a historic high point, the tiny nation reached the 2018 World Cup finals, but ultimately lost to France. Mamic has repeatedly argued that the probes against him were politically motivated. ljv/ssm/dmc
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