Călin Georgescu questioned by DIICOT for fourth day over 1.1 million euro fraud case

Fourth day of computer searches

Călin Georgescu was taken from the Central Arrest on Friday morning and brought to DIICOT by prison van, the fourth consecutive day he has been taken there. Prosecutors are still extracting data from devices seized during searches of the family's villa in Mogoșoaia on 21 September. Digi24 reports that more than 20 devices, including phones, laptops and memory sticks, still have files to be downloaded. This time only Georgescu was summoned, not his wife, and supporters gathered outside the DIICOT headquarters, prompting a protective fence to be installed. Across the days, the couple spent on average six to seven hours at the headquarters.

The fraud case

Georgescu was arrested preventively for 30 days by a decision of 29 September, in a file charging him with fraud over 1.1 million euro and with setting up an organised criminal group. The complaint was lodged by Buzău businessman Răzvan Leu, who was offered a deal in precious metals that required a 6 million euro credit line. According to the case file, Georgescu recommended that Leu contact Ionel Rusen, who introduced an Italian citizen, Massimiliano Arena, described as a representative of a Swiss bank. Leu was asked to pay a guarantee of one million euro, of which 100,000 euro was to finance Georgescu's presidential campaign. Leu then transferred a further 100,000 euro after being promised the loan could rise to 15 million euro, but the loan was never granted and the guarantee was not returned. Prosecutors say the group was formed in September 2021 under the authority of a 64-year-old Romanian citizen and acted mainly in Romania and the United Kingdom.

Assets seized

Prosecutors searched the Mogoșoaia villa on 21 September and seized it on 24 September. The Bucharest Tribunal rejected Georgescu's challenge to that decision and ruled that the villa will remain under seizure. On 7 October prosecutors seized several bank accounts in Georgescu's name. Adevărul reports that the measure was an insurance seizure, taken in a case concerning an organised criminal group and fraud with particularly serious consequences in continued form.

Cristela Georgescu's complaint

Cristela Georgescu had been questioned for three days before prosecutors did not call her on Friday. In a statement on Wednesday she said she had the right to express her concern, and told reporters that she had been tortured when she saw photographs of her children in the hands of prosecutors. Speaking outside DIICOT, she added that she felt any mother at home could relate to her.

I think any mother at home can relate to me.

In the same Wednesday statement she complained that confidential family information was leaking to the press.

So I do not have the guarantee, I do not have the security of our personal data, and I express this concern.

The Mogoșoaia villa remains under seizure, and the devices from the house are still being examined by prosecutors.