Romanian anticorruption prosecutors have indicted Dragos Basescu, former President Traian Basescu’s nephew for influence peddling.

He allegedly asked for EUR 1 million from a local businessman called Sandu Staicu in 2014, promising that he would use his influence at the Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) to help solve a case in his favor, according to prosecutors.

Dragos Basescu was helped by Ciprian Nistor, who is already serving a prison sentence for another charge. To cover for the money, Dragos Basescu asked the businessman to award him a fictitious consulting contract worth EUR 1 million over a period a two years.

Sandu Staicu, who allegedly asked Dragos Basescu to help him, has been investigated in a case of tax evasion, money laundering, with a damage of EUR 7.6 million.

Dragos Basescu is the son of Mircea Basescu, the former President’s brother, who has also been investigated by the anticorruption prosecutors in a similar case. Mircea Basescu allegedly took EUR 250,000 to help a notorious crime lord escape conviction.

editor@romania-insider.com