The Bucharest Court of Appeal sentenced Rudel Obreja, the former head of the Romanian Boxing Federation, to three years of probation in a case which also involved former media mogul Sorin Ovidiu Vintu.

Moreover, Obreja can’t leave the country without the court’s approval and has to do community work for 90 days. The Court’s decision is final, reports local Mediafax. 

Rudel Obreja was sent to court in the spring of 2014. He was charged with influence peddling for asking EUR 1 million from Vintu to intervene at the Supreme Court and help Vantu dodge a prison sentence. Sorin Ovidiu Vantu was on trial at that time for aiding his collaborator, runaway businessman Nicolae Popa.

The Bucharest Court initially sentenced Rudel Obreja to 3 years in jail no parole, in June 2015. Obreja appealed against the decision. The judge from the Bucharest Court who convicted him was later arrested for bribery in another high-profile case involving football club owners and player agents.

Rudel Obreja is also involved in another corruption case, known as Gala Bute, for the illegal financing of a boxing gala that his firm organized. Former tourism minister Elena Udrea was also charged in this case.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com