Romanian court lifts seizure on Nordis Mamaia apartments worth over 100 million euros, keeps Ciorbă assets frozen

The court ruling

The Bucharest Court of Appeal admitted the objections filed by Nordis Management and Nordis Mamaia against prosecutors' orders of 21 July 2026, which had kept insurance seizures on the two companies' assets. The court ordered the seizure lifted on the property of both companies, including apartments in Mamaia that sources value at more than 100 million euros. One report puts the value of the released assets at over 120 million euros, a figure attributed to an unnamed person involved in the proceedings. The decision was pronounced on 14 October 2026 at a hearing that began at 09:00 and is final.

The court rejected the objection filed by Vladimir Ciorbă, the businessman and husband of former PSD deputy Laura Vicol, against the same prosecutors' order. His personal seizure therefore remains in force, and he was ordered to pay 300 lei in court costs to the state. Outlets reported that the ruling leaves the legal position of the individuals in the case unchanged.

Background to the case

The Nordis case is being investigated by DIICOT prosecutors on suspicion of forming an organised criminal group, embezzlement, money laundering, tax evasion and fraud. In an investigation published on 7 October 2024, Recorder reported that millions of euros flowed into the firm Ciorbă controlled, but most promised investments were not carried out. It also reported strong indications that apartments in the only building completed, a hotel in Mamaia, had been sold several times to different buyers.

Laura Vicol resigned from the PSD on 10 October 2024, three days after stepping down as head of the Chamber of Deputies' legal committee. In February 2025, DIICOT searched 70 addresses and detained 11 people, including Vicol. The Bucharest Court of Appeal later remanded the Vicol-Ciorbă couple in custody on 5 February 2025.

Scale of the seizures

In February 2025, prosecutors imposed an insurance seizure on 201 properties, including apartments and houses, five commercial spaces, 22 plots of land, 11 cars, shares and social parts. They also blocked 48 bank accounts held by individuals and legal entities. Outlets reported that total seized assets exceeded 100 million euros. Adevărul reported that the damage in the Nordis affair is estimated at 90 million euros, and that more than 1,200 people were admitted to the creditors' table after the company's insolvency procedure was opened.

The ruling also comes amid a separate line of inquiry. ANAF said it had started internal checks after reports that some of its tax inspectors may have overlooked irregularities in the Nordis group despite large losses to the budget. Ziare.com reported that more than 700 criminal complaints have been filed in the case.

What comes next

The lifted seizure allows the Nordis shareholders to complete construction in Mamaia and Brașov, as decided at creditors' meetings and committees, according to Mediafax. Libertatea noted that the criminal investigation continues and that lifting the seizure does not halt prosecutors' inquiries. Ciorbă's assets remain frozen under the upheld seizure.