Former employee of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations in New York, Renata Supina-Saltus, was accused in the USA of embezzling about 750,000 dollars from the diplomatic mission. The procedure was initiated after the cooperation of USKOK and American authorities, and the US Attorney’s Office announced that 59-year-old Supina-Saltus was arrested and brought to court in Connecticut.
USKOK announced that it initiated investigations against a Croatian citizen born in 1966, with permanent residence in the USA, on the basis of information from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs due to suspicion of abuse of position and authority. After that, in cooperation with the representatives of the American Embassy in Croatia, the collected data was shared with the competent authorities of the USA, which then initiated proceedings against the suspect.
For almost six years, she diverted money to her own accounts
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, from July 2017 to November 2023, Supina-Saltus worked in financial and administrative affairs at the Croatian mission to the UN. Because of her position, she had access to the supplier payment system and was authorized to submit and process invoices on behalf of the Mission.
Investigators suspect that she used that approach for nearly six years to divert Mission money to her personal bank accounts. According to the prosecution, she did this in at least two ways. In some cases, she allegedly made double payments, so that one amount would be legitimately paid to a supplier and another, in the same amount, would end up in one of her accounts. In other cases, the prosecution alleges, she created false invoices, sometimes in the names of fictitious suppliers, and then directed the payments to accounts under her control.
The US Attorney’s Office alleges that in this way she embezzled a total of at least $750,000 and used it for personal gain. In its statement, USKOK also states the suspicion that the suspect, using the powers and access to the bank accounts of the Permanent Mission, made illegal payments to her personal accounts in a bank in the USA and thus obtained an improper benefit of about 750,000 dollars.
“Turned the Croatian mission into a personal piggy bank”
“When someone gets access to the organization’s finances, it means that they have been trusted. Renata Supina-Saltus allegedly abused that trust and turned the Croatian mission into a personal piggy bank, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said US Attorney Jay Clayton.
Michael Alfonso from the New York office of the US Department of Homeland Security Investigations said that Supina-Saltus had a position of trust in the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the UN and that, according to the accusation, she completely abused that trust and illegally enriched herself by $750,000. He added that financial crime and corruption undermine institutions and that HSI will aggressively pursue those who abuse their position for personal gain.
She faces up to 20 years in prison
Supina-Saltus, who lives in West Haven, Connecticut, according to the release, was charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and two counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. The US Attorney’s Office emphasizes that these are the legal maximums and that the court will determine the possible sentence.
The American side thanked the State Attorney’s Office of the Republic of Croatia and USKOK for their help, and praised the work of HSI, its office for New England, the attaché in Vienna, and the New York police. The press release also states that the regional legal advisor of the Office for International Development, Assistance and Training of Prosecutors of the US Department of Justice at the US Embassy in Zagreb also provided assistance, index.hr writes.
(TYPE/Photo: Illustration/Fena)
