Former Champions League Winner Dario Šimić Arrested in Corruption Scandal
Former Croatian international and Champions League winner Dario Šimić (50) has been arrested in Zagreb as part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption investigation linked to the construction of a tourist complex on the Croatian coast.
Former Champions League Winner Dario Šimić Arrested in Corruption Scandal
Croatian football is experiencing a new shock. Dario Šimić (50), the former legendary defender of the Croatian national team and Champions League winner with AC Milan, was arrested on Tuesday during a comprehensive anti-corruption operation conducted by Croatian authorities.
According to a report from GSP, the former international is suspected of illegally obtaining permits required for the construction of a private camp on the Croatian coast.
Šimić was detained in Zagreb as part of an investigation into alleged corrupt acts connected with the development of a tourist complex on the central coast of the country.
Although police and the anti-corruption state prosecution have not officially confirmed the identity of the arrested person, Croatian media have published photographs of the former footballer in handcuffs whilst being escorted by police officers.
According to information that emerged in the local press, two other persons have been detained alongside the former defender: a former regional official from the tourism sector, who is suspected of helping him obtain the necessary permits, and a local entrepreneur who mediated in the relationship between the two parties.
Dario Šimić is one of the most important footballers in Croatian history. The defender became the first Croatian player to reach 100 appearances for the national team in 2008. He made his debut at Dinamo Zagreb in 1992, and four years later put on the national team jersey for the first time.
He was part of the golden generation that won the bronze medal at the 1998 World Cup in France. After six seasons at Dinamo Zagreb, Šimić moved to Inter Milan, and then transferred to fierce rival AC Milan, where he achieved the greatest successes of his career.
With the "rossoneri" he won the Italian championship title and two UEFA Champions League trophies. In 2008 he signed for AS Monaco, and two years later returned to Dinamo Zagreb, the club where he ended his playing career.
After retiring from active sport, Dario Šimić turned to the business world and founded a bottled water production company, which became one of the most well-known in the region.
Source: Google News RO — Crime (ro)