Romanian investigators launched over 160 searches at the headquarters of various companies and at homes in Bucharest and the counties of Prahova, Giurgiu, Arad, Calarasi and Ialomita on Monday. The investigation eyes the activity of over 100 Romanian and foreign companies suspect of dodging taxes worth about 50 million euro. Informed sources told HotNews.ro the investigation eyes employees of the National Tax Administration Agency and of the Public Finance Ministry as well as a High Court prosecutor and a senator.
The people targeted by the searches ar Romanian and foreign managers of various firms, lawyers, accountants and Finance ministry employees, an Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) press release said on Monday Morning.
It said it was a complex case involving corruption and tax evasion charges related to a large number of people forming an organized crime group.
Sources later said the Senator was Social Democratic (PSD) MP Niculae Badalau, who showed up at the DNA headquarters and says he is innocent. Badalau is a PSD Senator for the county of Giurgiu, South Romania, he heads the PSD Giurgiu branch and is a member of the human rights and minorities commission in the Senate. During a previous term as deputy, Badalau was a member of a commission investigating abuses and corruption.
The prosecutor targeted by investigators is Angela Nicolae of the High Court of Justice prosecutor's office. Angela Nicole heads the International Relations and non-PHARE Programs Office at the Prosecutor's Office.
