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A septuagenarian being chased for millions in unpaid debts to a Slavic charity in Melbourne has been locked up by police after also facing allegations of cultivating cannabis.
Boris Trajkov helped set up the Victorian Multiethnic Slavic Welfare Association, which ran services for elderly Slavic people as well as the multicultural Lalor Childcare Centre, back in 1994.
The 76-year-old was made secretary of the association in 2012, and according to a writ filed with the Victorian County Court in December, was the only authorised signatory of the association’s bank account.
The association has been in liquidation since March last year, with its liquidators now pursuing Trajkov for nearly $3.5 million in unpaid debts.
The writ claims Trajkov failed to account for $2.5 million of childcare fees from parents who enrolled their children at the Lalor Childcare Centre.
It also claims Trajkov, who was awarded an OAM in 1991 for “service to the Macedonian and other communities” and was commended in Victorian parliament in 2012 for his work setting up the centre, failed to account for more than $785,000 in expenses and cash withdrawn from the association’s bank account.
In addition, it says in 2014, he arranged two transactions – one for more than $140,000 and another for $50,000 – to be transferred from the association to his wife.
Now, Trajkov is also facing a number of charges by Victoria Police including cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis, committing offences while on bail, theft of electricity, two attempts to obtain property by deception, use of a fraudulent licence and use of a false document.
He is currently remanded in custody and will face the Victorian County Court for a civil hearing on March 15, and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a committal mention on the police charges on April 4.