Ljubomir Magaš (May 27, 1948 – November 10, 1986) was a Yugoslav amateur boxer, streetfighter and gangster. He was commonly known by his nickname Ljuba Zemunac (Ljuba from Zemun).

Biography

Early days

Born to a Croat father, and a Serb mother, Magaš spent his early youth in the Belgrade neighbourhood of Zemun. He stayed out of trouble for the most part while he lived there, but when his family moved across town to Zvezdara neighborhood in his pre-teens, Magaš took up boxing and also got involved with street-fighting.

Criminal activity was next to follow. In 1965, he was sentenced by Belgrade court and referred to special institution for juvenile offenders in the Serbian city of Niš.

When he was young, Magaš held pro-Yugoslav leanings.

1970s

According to journalist sources in the 1970s, He was involved in robberies and racketeering throughout western Europe. The targets of his criminal activity were mostly Yugoslav gastarbeiters who owned small businesses such as retail shops, cafes, and restaurants.

1980s

Magaš was unofficially proclaimed the "godfather of Serbian organized crime". In 1986, he was killed in Frankfurt, Germany in front of the local court by rival gangster Goran Vuković.

References