Slovenian businessman Mitja Verlak appears in court over alleged €1 million holiday‑home fraud

Mitja Verlak, a self‑employed entrepreneur, has been brought before the Maribor district court on accusations of business fraud that allegedly harmed buyers of coastal weekend houses to the tune of around one million euros. Judge Stanislav Jug presided over the pre‑trial hearing, during which Verlak, who previously had a court‑ordered forced representation, appeared without a lawyer after his request for legal aid was denied.

Verlak’s consulting firm, Map Consulting, entered bankruptcy in March, and he declined to defend himself during the proceedings, stating he no longer has a legal representative. The court is set to consider the charges of large‑scale theft and fraud against him.