Anticorruption prosecutors search Romanian businessman’s houses, firms

Prosecutors from the National Anticorruption Department (DNA) started investigating a criminal case that involves tax evasion and money laundering. The criminal activities were allegedly carried out between 2008 and 2009. According to a DNA statement, on July 23, prosecutors conducted a total of 11 searches at companies and houses located in Bucharest and Teleorman and Prahova counties. According to judicial sources cited by local Mediafax, prosecutors searched properties and firms belonging to Romanian billionaire Ioan Niculae. The searches also targeted offices of InterAgro, an integrated agri-business holding owned by Niculae. The damage in this case amounts to over EUR 2 million. In April this year, Romanian businessman Ioan Niculae was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, no parole, for having illegaly financed Mircea Geoana’s presidential campaign in 2009. Niculae is Romania’s richest according to the 2014 edition of the Forbes 500 Richest Romanians list. Forbes estimated Niculae’s fortune at some EUR 1.1 billion. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com