Bucharest court rules EUR 4.7 mln distraint on former tourism minister’s wealth

The Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled a distraint on the properties of Romania’s former tourism minister Elena Udrea for the recovery of EUR 4.7 million that she may have obtained illegally from a businessman, local Hotnews.ro reported. Elena Udrea is being tried in a case of influence peddling and money laundering. She was sent to court by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) in December 2017. The case is related to undue payments worth EUR 4.7 million that Udrea allegedly received in 2011 from local investor Bogdan Buzaianu, the owner of several big energy trading companies, to use her influence upon decision makers at the Economy Ministry and state-owned power producer Hidroelectrica. Earlier this year, the former tourism minister was sentenced to six years in jail in a corruption case related to a boxing gala where Romania’s brand was promoted. Elena Udrea fled to Costa Rica at the beginning of this year and she recently gave birth to a baby girl, which makes her extradition very difficult. editor@romania-insider.com