Most “expensive” public employee sent to court after being paid EUR 15,000 for one hour at work

Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) sent to court Cristina-Elena Neamtu, a former advisor to Liviu Dragnea, the former leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), on charges of complicity to abuse of office and forgery.

The prosecutors found that Neamtu was hired by the Bucharest Airports Company in October 2015, but never actually worked there. However, she was paid for 432 hours of work and was allowed to use a company car for personal purposes. She effectively spent only 56 minutes at the office, where she only went to sign the attendance register, according to the prosecutors. The damage to the company was estimated at RON 70,800 (EUR 15,000), according to a DNA press release.

The Bucharest Airport Company’s former general manager Sorinel Ciobanu was also sent to court by DNA for hiring and paying Elena Neamtu, although she didn’t perform any work.

The Bucharest Airport Company (CAB) manages Bucharest’s Henri Coanda (Otopeni) and Aurel Vlaicu (Baneasa) airports and is controlled by the Transport Ministry.

The case is similar to the one in which former PSD leader Liviu Dragnea was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in jail. Dragnea was sent to jail for arranging that two of his assistants at the PSD office in Teleorman were hired by the Social Assistance and Child Protection Office in Teleorman. The two women were also paid without actually working there. Dragnea was head of the Teleorman County Council at that time.

(Photo source: Pixabay.com)