Former president of Romania’s fiscal agency indicted in tax evasion case

Sorin Blejnar, the former president of Romania’s National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), which is the state institution that collects taxes in Romania, was indicted in a tax evasion case which generated a EUR 56 million prejudice to the state budget, according to an official announcement of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA). Blejnar is accused of helping an organized crime group led by Radu Nemes and Diana Nemes, two Romanians who were arrested in the U.S. in May this year and were extradited to Romania. The Nemes are accused of conspiring with high-ranking officials in the Romanian government in tax dodging that also involved trading of large quantities of diesel fuel. The pair used laundered money to pay for their properties in the U.S., which included a USD 3 million log home and a yacht. Except Blejnar and the Nemes couple, twelve other people were indicted in this case along with 19 local firms, who participated in the scheme. Another high profile official indicted is Viorel Comanita, who was director of the Customs Authority at the time of the incriminated transactions. Sorin Blejnar, 43, was president of the ANAF from January 2009 to April 2012. He is also investigated in a case tied to the disappearance of his chief of staff, Codrut Marta, who went missing in May 2012. Marta was also among the suspects in a tax fraud case. editor@romania-insider.com