Name: Zoran | Surname: Ćopić | AKA: Ćopa | |
Date of birth: Aug. 3, 1966 | Place of birth: Bosanski Novi, Bosnia-Herzegovina | Nationality: Serbian/Bosnian | Address: Vladimira Rolovića 8, Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzegovina); Slavka Rodića 13/2, Belgrade (Serbia) |
Spouse: 2 former wives | Children: 3 | Interests: Cigarette distribution, agriculture, real estate, air taxi, production of harvest machines | |
Alleged Illegal Activities: Money laundering, cigarette smuggling, economic crimes | Source: Business records, criminal records, interview with OCCRP | ||
Additional Information: | |||
Biography | |||
Bosnian born Serbian businessman Zoran Ćopić controlled many companies in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and, between 2005 and 2008, privatized at least 15 companies. Nine of those went into bankruptcy and two were seized after allegations they were used for money laundering. Company records show that in some of the larger privatizations he partnered with Anton Stanaj of Montenegro, a businessman convicted of cigarette smuggling. Read full biography... |
Countries of Residence |
Serbia |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Countries Used as "Safe Heaven" |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Countries Operating In |
Serbia |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Cyprus |
First Name | Surname | AKA | Connection | Date of Birth | Description | Source |
Željko | Ličina | Proxy | Jun. 15, 1966 | Ličina, Ćopić’s relative, was a proxy owner of Internacional Tobacco Company and Nafta ITC, the legal distributors of Raquel cigarettes and Bitburger beer in Serbia. Ličina is also owner and director in several privatized companies, including Srbijaprojekt AD, Niva AD and Rudo AD. Ličina was charged, together with Ćopić, with cigarette smuggling in 2004 and the case is ongoing. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Indictment 14.12.2004. Interview with Ćopić. | |
Darinka | Pilipović | Accountant | Oct. 24, 1966 | Since 2005, Darinka Pilipović has worked as an accountant in several companies controlled by Ćopić and she was director in his company Megatabak. She was arrested in April 2011 on charges that she helped Ćopić plunder the assets (land in this case) of the privatized company Stanišić AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 | |
Milivoj | Pavlović | Proxy | Aug. 25, 1956 | Pavlović was the member or president of the board of directors in several privatized companies controlled by Ćopić, including Mitrosrem AD, Agroseme Panonija AD and Agrocoop export-import AD. He was also director of Hemovet and owner of Stanagro Invest. He was arrested and charged in April 2011 with helping Ćopić embezzle the assets of a Stanišić AD, a privatized company. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of interior information for public, 14.04.2011 | |
Nikola | Dimitrijević | Oct. 30, 1982 | Dimitrijević was the owner of DTM Relations, a company Ćopić used as a conduit in the sale of Mitrosrem AD to accused drug lord Darko Šarić. He was charged in 2010 with conspiring with Ćopić and Šarić to launder money. Dimitrijević’s brother in law Branko Lazarević, former chief of staff of the Minister of Interior Ivica Dačić, also was a co-owner of DTM Relations in the period from late 2006 until mid-2007. After the daily newspaper Blic reported that Lazarević was associated with Šarić, over the company DTM Relations, he was transferred from Dačić’s office to work in diplomacy.In January 2011, Dimitrijević cut a deal with the Prosecution for Organized Crime and admitted that he helped Šarić buy Mitrosrem AD. He was sentenced to a year of home detention. | Serbian Buisness Registers Agency; Purchase Contract Mitrosrem AD; Interview with Ćopić; Prosecution for Organized crime – Request for investigation; Verdict 30.12.2010. | ||
Igor | Sabo | Aug. 23, 1969 | Sabo was a member of the board of directors of Agrocoop AD, a company controlled by Ćopić. In 2008 he was charged with embezzling. According to the verdict, Sabo, as a director of Limess LTD, controlled money transfers and stole €77,000, which he used to buy shares of Agroseme Sremska Mitrovica. In 2007, an appeals court overturned the verdict and the case is back in the lower court for a new trial. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Indictment against Sabo 03.10.2003; Verdict 06.07.2007; The abolition of the Verdict11.03.2008. | ||
Zoran | Radulović | Director of the company | Jun. 11, 1960 | Radulović was director of Agrostan Investment, Mitrosrem AD and trustee of Alpis Plus. He was arrested and charged in September 2010 with helping Ćopić illegally mortgage assets of IPOK and taking the loan for his own use. He was charged in April 2011 with helping Ćopić leverage the assets (real estate) of Stanišić AD, a privatized company, for his own use. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 20.09.2010; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 | |
Radislav | Cmiljanić | Director of the company | Jul. 7, 1972 | Cmiljanić was the director of the privatized company Stanišić AD and an employee in Agrocoop AD. He was arrested and charged in April 2011 with helping Ćopić illegally use the land of company Stanišić AD to enrich themselves. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 | |
Pavle | Čolakov | Director of the company | Feb. 25, 1965 | Čolakov was director of Agrostan Plus and an employee in Agrocoop AD. He was arrested and charged in April 2011 with helping Ćopić leverage real estate of Stanišić AD, a privatized company, for his own use. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 | |
Đoka | Vergaš | Director of the company | May. 4, 1946 | Vergaš was director of the privatized company Indistrija Kotrljajućih Ležajeva AD. He was arrested and charged in October 2010 with helping Ćopić illegally sell a company owned building and then embezzling the proceeds. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010 | |
Predrag | Mihajlović | Director of the company | May. 22, 1955 | Mihailović was director of Agrocoop AD. In October 2010, he was arrested and charged with helping Ćopić embezzle funds from the privatized company IKL AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010 | |
Mihajlo | Grujić | Director of the company | May. 1, 1967 | Grujić was director of Finam Skin and owner and director of Agro and Migs. In October 2010, he was arrested and charged with helping Ćopić embezzle funds from privatized company IKL AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010 | |
Srđan | Blagojević | Director of the company | Jun. 15, 1983 | Blagojević was the director of Hemovet and a member of the board in several companies controlled by Ćopić. He was arrested and charged in September 2010 with helping Ćopić illegally mortgage the assets of IPOK, a privatized company, and embezzling the money. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 20.09.2010 | |
Slavoljub | Knežević | Director of the company | 1957 | Knežević was director of the privatized company IPOK. He was arrested and charged in September 2010 with helping Ćopić illegally mortgage the assets the company and keeping the proceeds. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 20.09.2010 | |
Vesna | Miljković | Director of the company | Nov. 14, 1956 | Miljković was director of Zmaj AD, a privatized manufacturer of agriculture equipment. She was arrested and charged in March 2011 with various financial crimes. According to the police, she illegally signed a contract and embezzled money from the company. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 01.03.2011 | |
Ljubo | Mrđen | Director of the company | May. 5, 1949 | Mrđen was the director of privatized company Agrocoop AD in Banja Luka and member of the board of directors of Agrocoop AD in Novi Sad. In September 2011, along with Ćopić and Nižol, he was charged with money laundering. | Agrocoop export-import Banja Luka Registration Documents; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 | |
Drago | Nižol | Director of the company | Jul. 3, 1959 | Nižol was director of Avio Rent where he also worked as a pilot. In September 2011 he was charged with helping Ćopić launder money. | Avio Rent Registration Documents; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 | |
Zoran | Ilić | Involved in cigarette smuggling | Jan. 1, 1965 | Ilić worked in Ćopić’s companies International Tobacco Company and Nafta ITC. In December 2004 he was charged with cigarette smuggling. According to the indictment, he organized the repackaging, loading, and transportation of smuggled cigarettes, which were then distributed in the Balkans.He was found guilty after a trial, but a higher level court overturned the decision in May 2010 and ordered a new trial, which is pending. | Indictment; Verdict; The appeal of the first basic public prosecutor's office; The abolition of the Verdict; Interview with Ćopić | |
Dejan | Buzak | Involved in cigarette smuggling | Mar. 11, 1972 | Buzak was a driver in two Ćopić companies, International Tobacco Company and Nafta ITC. In December, 2004 he was charged with cigarette smuggling. According to the indictment, he transported material used for repackaging smuggled cigarettes. He was found guilty after a trial, but a higher court overturned the decision in May 2010 and ordered a new trial, which is pending. | Indictment; Verdict; The appeal of the first basic public prosecutor's office; The abolition of the Verdict; Interview with Ćopić | |
Momir | Marjanović | Director of the company | Jul. 8, 1973 | Marjanović is the director of Multinova, and formerly was director of Alpis Plus and DTM Relations. He was also a member of board of directors of the privatized company Mitrosrem AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Jovan | Šarović | Director of the company | Jun. 9, 1959 | Šarović is director of privatized company Agroseme Panonija AD and he used to be a member of the board of directors of Agrocoop AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Radojica | Cukić | Director of the company | Oct. 12, 1950 | Cukić was director of Stanišić AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Vaso | Aničić | Director of the company | Dec. 14, 1956 | Aničić is director of Alpis Plus. | Serbain Business Registers Agency | |
Mirko | Majstorović | Director of the company | Jan. 2, 1955 | Majstorović was director of Hemovet and signed a purchase contract in 2006. According to the the Lexis Nexis research engine, Majstorović also was director of Agrocoop AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Lexis Nexis; Hemofarm's website | |
Zoran | Domazet | Director of the company | Jul. 29, 1959 | Domazet was director of DTM Relationas. According to the Nižol's testimony, Ćopić suggested Domazet as director. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 | |
Nenad | Rakić | Director of the company | Mar. 26, 1951 | Rakić is a director of the privatized company Agrovojvodina Export-Import AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Predrag | Vuksić | Proxy | Dec. 10, 1960 | Vuksić was director of DSD Tobacco and has an ownership stake in the country. Also, he owns the company Firma Plus in Belgrade. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Interview with Ćopić | |
Dejan | Živanović | Proxy | Jun. 2, 1970 | Živanović was manager of the business unit of DSD Tobacco in Belgrade. He also has an ownership stake in DSD Tobacco. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Interview with Ćopić | |
Slobodan | Milovanović | Proxy | Feb. 9, 1959 | Milovanović was an assistant to the director of DSD Tobacco. He owned the company Nikos in Kruševac and through it had ownership in DSD Tobacco. He died in 2010. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Radovan | Dimić | Proxy | Mar. 21, 1971 | Dimić was an assistant to the director of DSD Tobacco company and has ownership in it. He owns company Dima in Velika Plana. This company was distributing cigarettes in Eastern Serbia. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Milan | Pavlović | Proxy | Mar. 18, 1970 | Pavlović was president of the board of directors of DSD Tobacco and has an ownership stake. He also owns Mig-Plasman, a cigarette distribution company. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Milivoj | Radin | Director of the company | Feb. 16, 1958 | Radin was director of privatized company Banat Seme AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Siniša | Ivanić | Director of the company | Sep. 29, 1965 | Ivanić is director of Liger. He was also a member of the board of directors of privatized company Banat Seme AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
Elizabeta | Novotni-Veg | Director of the company | Mar. 5, 1963 | Novotni-Veg is director of Agrolab Novi Sad. | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
Milica | Pavluković | Director of the company | Jan. 17, 1961 | Pavluković is director of Agrolab Subotica. | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
Zlatka | Mrdak | 1955 | Zlatka was employed in the Republic Geodetic Authority - Real Estate Cadastre Service in Sombor, Serbia. In April, 2011 she was arrested and charged with helping Ćopić illegally mortgage the privatized company Stanišić AD. | Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 | ||
Gordan | Bašić | Bašić owns the companies Agency For Crisis Management, Quantum, Megatronic Trade and Tandem Financial. He was Ćopić’s partner in buying many privatized companies. In October, 2010 he was arrested and charged with helping Ćopić illegally sell a building owned by the privatized company Industrija Kotrljajućih Ležajeva AD. He was also charged with embezzlement. According to the police, the two men, along with other associates, made €9.2 million in the illegal transaction. In March 2011, along with the director of the privatized company Zmaj AD, he was charged with illegally signing a contract that cost Zmaj AD € 812.441, according to the police. In an interview with OCCRP, Ćopić said that the Bašić brothers are not his business partners. Occasionally he would ask them to buy shares for him and nothing more, he said. | Serbian Business Register Agency, Serbia’s Central Securities Depository; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 01.03.2011; Interview with Ćopić | |||
Pavle | Bašić | Pavle Bašić was Ćopić’s partner in the privatization of Zmaj AD, as a representative of the company Finpro LLC and also as a representative of the consortium that bought the company. Bašić, together with his brother Gordan, has many companies in Serbia including Tandem Financial, a partner company to the privatized company Industrija Kotrljajućih Ležajeva AD. In October 2010 he was charged for helping Ćopić with the unauthorized sale of a building of the privatized company Industrija Kotrljajućih Ležajeva AD and embezzlement. According to the police, together with other associates, Bašić benefited in the amount of 9.2 million euros. In the interview for OCCRP, Ćopić said that Bašić brothers are not his business partners. Occasionally he would ask them to buy shares for him and that's all. | Serbian Business Register Agency; Purchase contract Zmaj AD; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010; Interview with Ćopić |
Type | Charging Body | Charge | Date | Description | Source |
Indictment | District Prosecutor's office in Banja Luka | Money laundering | Sep. 21, 2011 | Ćopić, together with his directors Ljubo Mrđen and Drago Nižol, was accused of money laundering. According to the indictment, Ćopić - through a variety of companies and commercial banks - invested tens of millions of euro in businesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia between 2008 and 2011. The money was proceeds of narcotics trafficking, prosecutors said. | Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 |
Lawsuit | Police | Abuses in economy | Apr. 14, 2011 | Ćopić and six of his associates were charged with illegally mortgaging nearly 10,000 square meters of land owned by the privatized company Stanišić AD. The scheme earned €4.1 million for Ćopić's company Megatabak, prosecutors said. | Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 |
Indictment | Prosecution for Organized Crime in Serbia | Money laundering | Mar. 1, 2011 | According to the Indictment, Ćopić together with Šarić put motgage on the Palić hotel in 2009, earlier privatized by Šarić, and got €6 million from Banca Intesa. This money Šarić used to pay to Ćopić part of price for purchasing company Mitrosrem from him. From wiretapped conversations of Ćopić and Šarić, it is seen they have been in direct contact with key people of this bank. "From the conversation of the defendant Darko Šarić and the defendant Zoran Ćopić, follows that the defendant Šarić asks the defendant Ćopić when will he go to the bank for 'that' and Ćopić states that the conversation will reserve a place on a raft 'H2O' for the President of the Banca Intesa," the Indictment says. | Indictment against Darko Šarić and his group, 01.03.2011. |
Lawsuit | Police | Abuses in economy | Oct. 13, 2010 | Ćopić together with his associates and partners was charged with illegally selling of a building belonging to the privatized company Industrija Kotrljajućih ležajeva AD, and taking proceeds for his own use. According to the police, Copic and his associates made €9.2 million from the deal. | Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010 |
Lawsuit | Police | Abuses in economy | Sep. 10, 2010 | Ćopić, together with three associates, was charged with improperly placing a mortgage on the entire property of the privatized company IPOK, then taking the mortgage money for themselves. The group made €5 million in the transaction, police said. | Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 20.09.2010. |
Indictment | Prosecution for Organized Crime in Serbia | Money laundering | Aug. 6, 2010 | Ćopić was accused of being a member of a crime group which laundered money for accused drug kingpin Darko Šarić. According to prosecutors, Ćopić sold the company Mitrosrem AD to Darko Šaric for €23 million euros. Ćopić, in interview with OCCRP, said that he sold a portion of the company to Šarić and that he doesn't see it as an act of money laundering. | Indictment against Darko Šarić and his group, 06.08.2010; Prosecution investigation 01.11.2010; Prosecution investigation 11.03.2010 |
Indictment | Prosecutor's Office in Stara Pazova | Cigarette smuggling | Dec. 14, 2004 | In December 2004 Ćopić was accused, as a director of companies International Tobacco Company and Nafta ITS, of cigarette smuggling. According to the indectment, police found in a warehouse in the northen Serbian village of Vojka, 620.720 packs of cigarettes without stamps, ordered from Cypriot company Raquel LTD. This warehouse was, according to police, rented by Ćopić. Besides Ćopić, also charged were his relative Ličina, who was Ćopić’s straw party and formal owner of companies. In an interview Ćopić confirmed that he was a real owner of these companies. In November 2013, First Court in Belgrade issued decision on obsolescence. | Indictment; Verdict; The appeal of the first basic public prosecutor's office; The abolition of the Verdict; Interview with Ćopić; First Court in Belgrade - Decision on obsolescence |
Name | Type of Ownership | Percentage Ownership | Other Owners | Description | Annual Income | Source |
NAFTA ITC | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Company founded in 2001 by Željko Ličina, Ćopić's relative and straw party. In an interview with OCCRP Ćopić said that he was the real owner. Nafta ITC was the legal distributor of cigarettes and Bitburger beer in Serbia, but also involved in cigarette smuggling in 2004. The company was removed from the Serbian Business Register's list of active companies in July 2011. | No income in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Indictment for cigarette smuggling, 14.12.2004 | |
INTERNACIONAL TOBACCO COMPANY DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Company for cigarette distribution founded by Željko Ličina in 2003. Ćopić was director but also the real owner. He confirmed that in the interview for OCCRP. According to the indictment from 2004, the company had been used for cigarette smuggling. Internacional tobacco company has been deleted from Serbian Business Registers in June 2011. | Without income in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Indictment for cigarette smuggling, 14.12.2004 | |
DSD TOBACCO DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 92.93% | Amiprom Niš 17.07% | Company for cigarette distribution founded in 2003 and owned through five another companies from different cities in Serbia. Each company was the biggest distributor of cigarettes in the region. In 2005, ownership was transferred from companies to their owners. Through these people Ćopić, who was president of the board of directors, managed the company. DSD Tobacco went bankruptcy in 2010. | Without income in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency |
AVIO RENT DOO | Personal | 70% | Miodrag Dobrić 70% | Air transport company founded in 2008 by Ćopić and his good friend, Dobrić. | unknown | Registration Documents |
DTM RELATIONS DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Since January 2010 the company has been owned through Avio Rent. Previous owner of the company, Nikola Dimitrijević, was charged in 2010 with cooperating with Ćopić and Šarić and dealing with money gained by crime. In January 2011 Dimitrijević settled with the Prosecution for Organized Crime and admitted that he enabled Šarić to buy Mitrosrem AD from Copic. He got a year of home detention. | There’s no financial report for 2010. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Interview with Ćopić; Prosecution for Organized crime – Request for investigation; Verdict 30.12.2010 | |
MITROSREM AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 70% | Shareholder’s fund 15.43% and many small shareholders | Agricultural company in Sremska Mitrovica owned through DTM Relations. Company was privatized in 2006 when consortium made of companies DSD Tobacco and Finam skin bought it from Privatizaton Agency. In 2010 Ćopić was accused of being a member of a crime group which laundered money for narco trafficker Darko Šarić. According to prosecutors, Ćopić sold company Mitrosrem AD to Šaric for 23 million euros. Ćopić, in interview with OCCRP, said that he partly sold company to Šarić and that he don't see it as act of money laundering. The company was seized by state in 2010. | without income | Serbian Business Regsiter Agency; Privatization Agency, purcahse contarct; High court’s Decision on property seizure; Indictment against Darko Šarić and his group, 06.08.2010; Prosecution investigation 01.11.2010; Extend of Prosecution investigation 11.03.2010 |
ALPIS PLUS DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Company was originally founded by Stanagro Invest in 2009. After a few changes of owners, it ended with very complicated ownership structure. Now company is 99.63% self-owned. This company is also used as a clearinghouse to control stock of several other companies where DSD tobacco is listed as a shareholder. | 1.450.210 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
MULTINOVA DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Alpis Plus | There’s no financial report for 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency; Financial report. | |
SOKOLAC DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 84.05% | Many persons and companies with small percentage of ownership | Owned through Multinova | 15.500 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency |
STANAGRO INVEST DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Company originally founded by Stanišić AD in 2008. After a few changes of owners, company ended with Alpis Plus owning 99.93% and Milivoj Pavlović, director of Stanagro Invest, owning .07%. The company also retains shares of privatized company Agroseme Panonija AD. | 115.440 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
AGROLAB DOO Novi Sad | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Stanagro Invest | 1.280.020 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
FINAM SKIN DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 99.71% | 0.29% Miša Milovančević | Company was originally founded by Mihajlo Grujić in 2003. The ownership changed a few times. Now the owners are company Alpis Plus and Miša Milovančević. In the company are concentrated shares of privatized company Agroseme Panonija AD. | There’s no financial report for 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency |
AGROSREM AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 49.93% | Social capital 29.94%; AMS Insurance 4.19% | Owned through Finam Skin (24.97%) and Agro&Migs (24.96%). In August 2010 company went into bankruptcy. | without income | Serbian Business Register Agency; Central Securities Depository |
AGROSEME PANONIJA AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 49.92% | Shareholders’ fund AD Belgrade 23.78%; Retirement and Disability Insurance Fund Serbia 6.67% and many small shareholders | Since 2005, the biggest shareholder of the company was Agrocoop AD, but in 2010 ownership changed. The shares owned by Agrocoop AD were divided equally to Finam Skin and Stanagro Invest. Shares of the company Agroseme Panonija AD are invested in many different companies. | 3.175.810 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Central Securities Depository |
AGROLAB DOO Subotica | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Agroseme Panonija AD | 63.610 Euros in 2010 | Agroseme Panonija AD company records | |
MP AGROSEME PANONIJA Bitola MK | Through Connected Person or Company | 90% | Owned through Agroseme Panonija AD | unknown | Agroseme Panonija AD company records | |
AGROSEME PANONIJA KOMERC DOO Subotica | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Agroseme Panonija AD | 1.080.970 Euros in 2010 | Agroseme Panonija AD company records | |
AGROVOJVODINA EXPORT - IMPORT AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 75.80% | Rokšped Novi Sad 14.20% | Export – import company owned through Goran Ranković. He bought it in 2005 from Privatization Agancy. Ćopić was member of the board of directors, but in the interview for OCCRP he said that this company wasn’t his. Company bank accounts were blocked from February 2010 and in June 2011 it went bankruptcy. | without income | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Purchase contract Agrovojvodina AD, Central Securities Depository; Interview with Ćopić |
LIGER DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through privatized company Agrovojvodina AD | There’s no financial report for 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
AGROVOJVODINA RIMSKI ŠANČEVI AD | Through Connected Person or Company | Many companies with small percentage of the ownership | Owned through privatized companies Agrovojvodina AD and Elnos Agrovojvodina AD. Company deleted from the Serbian Business Register in September 2008. | without income | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
INDUSTRIJA KOTRLJAJUĆIH LEŽAJEVA AD | Through Connected Person or Company | Europamont 23.77%, Tandem Financial 18.88%, Quantum 11.06% and many small shareholders | In 2005 Ćopić became member of the board of directors in the company. From 2006 the company was making loan contracts with other companies Ćopić controlled. In October 2010 Ćopić, together with his associates and partners, including director of the IKL AD company, was charged for unauthorized selling building of company Industrija Kotrljajućih ležajeva AD and with drawing money out. According to the police they obtain financial gain in the amount of 9.2 million Euros. He used that money to buy Mitrosrem AD, according to the police. In the interview with OCCRP, Ćopić denied the charges and said that IKL AD owed money to his company Agrocoop AD. IKL AD went bankruptcy in October 2010. | 3.270 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Regsiter Agency; Central Securities Depository; IKL Company Report for 2007; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 13.10.2010; Interview with Ćopić | |
ZMAJ AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 72.99% Consortium, 1% Figra | Shareholders Zmaj 25.99% | This company produced combines and farm equipment. Privatization Agency sold it in 2006, on tender. In the interview for OCCRP, Ćopić said they bought the company because of the property and real estates. Partners for buying were Serbian businessman Rodić and former Minister of Energetic Novaković. The partners mortgaged 24% of the company assets to help win bank guarantees of 2.7 million euros for other companies owned by Rodić but not connected to Zmaj AD. Also, Zmaj's land is occupied by two hypermarkets – one built by Rodić. The general director of Zmaj AD, Vesna Miljković, was arrested in March 2011 for abuses in economy. | 2.465.340 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency; Privatization Agency; Purchase Contract Zmaj; Central Securities Depository; Interview with Ćopić; Ministry of Interior, Information for public 01.03.2011 |
ZMAJ SRCE DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Founded and owned through Zmaj AD | 177.630 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
ZMAJ FOP DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Founded and owned through Zmaj AD. Company has been deleted in April 2009. | Without income | Serbian Business Register Agency | |
CASEOLA HOLDINGS LIMITED | Through Connected Person or Company | Off shore company founded in 2007 in Nicosia. In the interview for OCCRP, Ćopić said he bought company Megatabak through this company because he wanted to set it aside for banks in order to take loan. | unknown | Nicosia’s Register of Companies; Interview with Ćopić | ||
MEGATABAK DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Company for cigarette distribution, originally founded by Mladen Grujić, member of Serbian Parliament. Ćopić bought Megatabak in 2007 through Cyprus company Caseola Holding Limited. In April 2011 Ćopić was charged for unauthorized mortgaging of 9.870.000 m2 land of privatized company Stanišić AD. In this way, together with his associates, Ćopić funneled 4.1 million Euros to Megatabak. Company has been deleted from the Serbian Business register in July 2011. | 104.650 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011 | |
AGRO&MIGS DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Mihajlo Grujić. The company is made up of shares from the privatized company Agrosrem AD. | 1.782.990 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
AGROCOOP AD Banja Luka | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Company founded by Agrocoop AD Novi Sad, but in 2010 ownership was changed to Alpis Plus. According to the indictment, company bank accounts were used for transferring the money from the accounts of Darko Šarić’s company Lafino Trade LLC from Delaware, as payment for Mitrosrem. More than 3.5 million euros was transferred from the end of 2008 to mid-2009, prosecution said. In the interview for OCCRP, Ćopić confirmed that Šarić transferred 2 million euros to Agrocoop Banja Luka's bank accounts. | unknown | Company registration documents; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011; Interview with Ćopić | |
IKL PLUS DOO | Personal | 100% | Small company founded by Ćopić in November 2009 and had no relations to any other company he controlled. | without income | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
AGROCOOP EXPORT - IMPORT AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 24.99% | Europamont 23%, Shareholders’ fund 8.28% and many small shareholders | Agricultural export – import company in Novi Sad owned through DSD Tobacco in the partnership with Stanaj's company Europamont. Ćopić became president of the board of directors in 2006 and through this company he was buying shares in other companies. According to the Banja Luka District Prosecutor's indictment, some of the money from Darko Šarić’s company Lafino Trade LLC from Delaware ended In Agrocoop AD. Company went bankruptcy in July 2010. | 3.865.270. Euros in 2010. | Serbian Business Register Agency; Central Securities Depository; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 |
ELNOS AGROVOJVODINA AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 24.99% | Rodić MB Invest 24.88%; Shareholders' fund Belgrade 22.59% and many small shareholders | Export – import company based in Novi Sad and owned through Agrocoop AD. Company has been deleted from register in March 2011. | Without income in 2010. | Serbian Business Register Agency; Central Securities Depository |
STANIŠIĆ AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 24.60% | Europamont 24.93%, VST Trend 19.72%; Retirement and Disability Insurance Fund in Serbia 9.68% and many small shareholders | Agricultural company in Vojvodina owned through Agrocoop AD. Ćopić became president of the board of directors in 2006. In April 2011 Ćopić, together with six associates, was charged for unauthorized mortgaging of land of the company and acquired 4.1 million Euros to Ćopić's company Megatabak. Company has been deleted from the Serbian Business register in August 2010. | Without income in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Central Securities Depository; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 14.04.2011; Interview with Ćopić; |
AGROSTAN INVESTMENTS DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Stanišić AD | There’s no financial report for 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
AGROSTAN PLUS DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 100% | Owned through Agrostan Investments DOO | 160.600 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency | |
IPOK DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | 70.89% | Many owners with small percentage of ownership | The largest starch factory in the Balkans, owned through Agrostan Plus. Ćopić became the owner of the company in 2007 through Plan of reorganization since his company Banat Seme AD was major creditor. In September 2010 Ćopić, together with three associates, was charged for unauthorized setting mortgage on entire property of the company and drawing money out. With this act, group obtained 5 million euros, according to police. Company went bankruptcy in May 2011. | 1.263.100 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior, Information for public, 20.09.2010 |
BANAT SEME AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 30.33% | Europamont 20.24% and many small shareholders | Owned through DSD Tobacco and Liger, in partnership with Stanaj. Ćopić became member of the board of directors in 2006. Shares of the company are concentrated in other connected companies. | 3.183.630 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Central Securities Depository |
MLINPEK AD | Through Connected Person or Company | 26.08% | Europamont 24.91%, Privatization Agency 29% and many small shareholders | Company owned through DSD Tobacco and Agrocoop AD, in partreship with Stanaj. Mlinpek AD is bakery company in Knjaževac, the biggest city in eastern Serbia. It was privatized in 2005. Company bought consortium that represented local businessman Miroljab Prvulović, but few months later the Privatization Agency terminated the contract. In 2007 Ćopić became president of the board of directors. In the interview for OCCRP Ćopić said that buying this company was mistake because it was ruined and he lost everything he invested. The company has been deleted from the Serbian Business Register in February 2011. | 1.340 Euros in 2010 | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Central Securities Depository; Interview with Ćopić; |
FABRIKA ŠEĆERA BIJELJINA | Personal | 63.75% | Many small shareholders | Ćopić became owner of the company in 2010 through AGROCOOP AD Banja Luka, a major creditor in the bankruptcy proceedings. According to the Indictment, Agrocoop had made payments to privatize the Sugar Factory at the same time it was receiving money from Darko Šarić’s off shore companies Lafino Trade LLC and Mattenico LLC. After Ćopić was arrested, the state blocked ownership. | Unknown | Registration documents; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011. |
ŠEĆER PLUS DOO | Through Connected Person or Company | Rokšped 99,94%, Ratomir Vasiljević 0,06% | Sugar company bought in October 2007 by Ratomir Vasiljević. Two months later, ownership was changed - Rokšped bought 99,94%. With this company Ćopić was part of the consortium that privatized Vršački Vinogradi, together with five Rodić's companies.In an interview for OCCRP, Ćopić said he was president of the board of directors. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Interview with Ćopić | ||
VRŠAČKI VINOGRADI AD | Through Connected Person or Company | This company was privatized in December 2006. Members of the consortium were Šećer and other five companies, all owned by well known business family Rodić. In the interview for OCCRP Ćopić said he was president of the board of the directors of the company Šećer Plus and he signed contract for purchase company Vršački Vinogradi.Records of the company Zmaj shows that one mortgage was put on the property of that company and the money was used for Vršački Vinogradi. | Serbian Business Registers Company; Interview with Ćopić |
Origin | Amount | Time Frame | Description | Source |
Companies in Serbia | His various companies had a total income in 2010 of about €21 million. | One year - 2010 | Legal income of Ćopić companies in Serbia | Serbian Business Registers Agency |
Origin | Amount | Time Frame | Description | Source |
Abuses in economy | about 18 million euros | 2006 to 2010 | Ćopić, together with his associates, made about €18 million s by illegally profiting in various schemes that stole from the public and private sector. Police and prosecutors said his crimes included illegally mortgaging and selling property of privatized companies and money laundering. | Ministry of Interior, Informations for public |
Organization | Amount | Time Frame | Description | Source |
Type of Property | Estimated Value | Description | Source |
Plane | around 159.000 euros | An airplane ''Cessna 340 A'' Ćopić bought in 2008 for his air-taxi company Avio Rent. | Business records, Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011, interview |
Real-estate | House in Banja Luka. | Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 | |
Car | Audi A6 | Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011 |
Name of the Person / Organization | Description | Source |
Darko Šarić | Darko Šarić, accused of leading an international cocaine smuggling network, has been a fugitive since January, 2010. According to various indictments, Šarić is responsible for smuggling 3.5 tons of cocaine which were seized by police forces in South America and Italy in 2008 and 2009. Ćopić sold one of Serbia's largest agricultural companies, Mitrosrem AD to Šarić for €27 million. Serbian prosecutors charged Ćopić with money laundering on this transaction in August 2010. The Serbian government also seized Mitrosrem AD. Ćopić, in an interview with OCCRP, said that he sold part of the company to Šarić but was never paid in full. He doesn't see it as act of money laundering, just as a sound business deal. | Business records, Indictment against Darko Šarić and his group, 06.08.2010; Prosecution investigation 01.11.2010; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011; Interview with Ćopić |
Anton Stanaj | Anton is a son of Roko Stanaj, an Albanian from Montenegro who owns Rokšped - one of Montenegro’s leading car and cigarette distributing companies. Anton Stanaj was arrested in 2007 at the Belgrade airport in a police operation dubbed ''Memphis,’’ for the brand of cigarette being smuggled. Stana was accused of organizing a group of 27 people in an international cigarette smuggling ring. In 2011, Stanaj was sentenced to a 6.5 years in prison and fined €100,000. The sentence was stayed pending a final ruling, and Stanaj has been released on €400,000 bail. | Business records, District Prosecutor’s office Indictment 13.03.2008; Amendid Indictment 23.11.2010; Decision on Bail, 23.05.2011;Central Registry of the Commercial Court in Podgorica; Interview with Ćopić |
Nuo Stanaj | Nuo Stanaj, Anton’s brother, is director of Rokšped and its various branches. In partnership with Ćopić he bought many agricultural companies in privatization in Serbia. In October 2010 Nuo was charged with helping Ćopić sell a building of the privatized company Industrija Kotrljajućih Ležajeva AD and drawing money out. According to the police they illegally obtained €9.2 million in the sale. | Central Registry of the Commercial Court in Podgorica; Serbian Business Registers Agency; Ministry of Interior information for public 13.10.2010; Interview with Ćopić; |
Goran Novaković | Novaković was the Minister of Energy in the Serbian government from January 2001 to June 2002. He was Ćopić’s partner in the privatization of Zmaj AD, as a representative of offshore company D’Arcy and Plat. Novaković told OCCRP that Ćopić was recommended to him by Serbian businessman Bogdan Rodić. | Purchase contract Zmaj AD; Serbian Business Registers Agency |
Bogdan Rodić | The Rodić brothers are well known businessmen who have many companies and a retail chain in Serbia. Ćopić said that he had a strictly business relationship with the Rodić brothers. Business records show they used work together - in partnership they privatized Vršački Vinogradi and Ćopić helped them by putting up his privatized company Zmaj AD to get a mortgage that benefited Rodić's companies. Besides that, some of the employees in Rodić Holding were members of the board of directors in the company Zmaj AD. | Financial reports Zmaj AD; Pledges; Interview with Ćopić |
Andrija Krlović | Krlović is a former police officer and lawyer who was arrested on March 9, 2010 and charged with helping launder money for Darko Šarić, primarily for his role in the privatized company Mitrosrem AD. Ćopić told OCCRP that he has known Krlović for 20 years and Krlović helped find a buyer for Mitrosrem AD. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Interview with Ćopić |
Miodrag Dobrić | Dobrić is a close friend of Ćopić. He is representative of Pink BiH, a part of TV network based in Serbia. Together with Ćopić they founded Avio Rent, an air transport company. In 2008 they bought a Cessna airplane with money borrowed from Tomislav Vrhovac's company Unis Tours. | Registration documents Avio Rent; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment, 21.09.2011. |
Tomislav Vrhovac | Vrhovac owns the companies Vst Trend and Unis Tours. According to the indictment he loaned more than €500,000 to Ćopić over the past several years. Ćopić couldn’t return all the money, so he ceded ownership of his company Hemovet to Vrhovac. | Serbian Business Register Agency; Registration documents Unis Tours; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment, 21.09.2011 |
Miloš Hamović | Hamović is the son of the wealthy Serbian energy trader Vuk Hamović, who owns EFT. According to a 2011 indictment against Ćopić, Ćopić, Hamović and several others arranged the transfer of more than 250,000 euros from three offshore companies: Eurotrade Holdings Limited in the British Virgin Islands, Pacific LC Group LLC, of Delaware, USA and Shine Film Production LTD in Cyprus for Ćopić’s benefit. | Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011. |
Enver Moralić | Bosnian police believe that the last step in the process of money laundering for Ćopić should be selling sugar factory in Bijeljina, which was allegedly bought with money he got from Darko Šarić. Enver Moralić, Croatian businessman, who hasn’t been charged in this case, has invested 6 million € to launch production in the sugar factory and had planned to take over majority of the ownership. Since the District Court in Banja Luka blocked all Ćopić’s property, among which is the sugar factory, Moralić is now forced to wait for the outcome of the trial. | Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011. |
Predrag Ranković Peconi | In an interview to the OCCRP, Ćopić said that Predrag Ranković Peconi is his friend for years and that their companies used to cooperate. According to the documents from Serbian Business Registers Agency, in December 2008 Ćopić, through his company Sokolac, pledged '30.000 units of corn planting' in the company Invej LTD, which is led by the Peconi's brother-in-low Srđan Sredojević. Based on the pledge, Ćopić's company had to pay between €750 and €900 thousand.Dobrić, in his testimony on the court in Banja Luka, said that Ćopić, while he was in Bosnia, was in telephone contact with Peconi and inquired about the situation in Serbia. | Serbian Business Registers Agency; Banja Luka District Prosecutor's Indictment 21.09.2011.; Interview with Ćopić |
Link |
Čopić Money Laundering |
Arrested Businessman Declares Innocence |
Ćopić Arrest Hurts Local Farmers |
Failed Privatizations Had Ćopić in Common |