Former tourism minister Elena Udrea investigated for corruption

Elena Udrea, president of the Popular Movement Party, was brought to the National Anti-corruption Direction (DNA), because she failed to mention, in her wealth statement, something that belonged to her former husband, Dorin Cocos, according to Mediafax newswire.

The head prosecutor of the DNA, Codruţa Kovesi, said Udrea was called to be interviewed in a file that has been registered at DNA for some time.

“It is true that Udrea was cited to be heard in a file that has been registered for some time at the DNA. This is not a new file,” said Kovesi.

Udrea was charged with money laundering and committing false in declaring wealth statements, because she did not mention loans granted by her former husband to one of his companies called Euro Hotels International Co.

The court says Udrea must know about these loans because she was cashing dividends.

“Given the legal obligation to declare her wealth, the fact that between 2009- 2013, Udrea Elena Gabriela declared the acquisition of various real estate assets whose value exceeds the revenues she obtained as minister, deputy or from her teaching activities, it is assumed that she used revenues from other sources- loans, dividends, taking responsibility for their origins,” according to the quoted documents.

The prosecutors have evidence that her former husband Dorin Cocos committed the crime of peddling and the sums of money obtained from committing this crime were used for acquiring real estate assets and granting loans to companies.

“From the wealth statements between 2009-2014, it emerged that Udrea Elena Gabriela knew the origin of the funds she used to acquire common goods, also having knowledge of the intention of the accused Dorin Cocos to obtain some fake receipts regarding the return of the so-called loan from Dinu Pescariu,” said the prosecutors in the files.

The prosecutors said that between 2009 and 2010, Cocos signed 16 loan contracts with Euro Hotels International in total value of RON 544,000, all granted for 11 months.

In this context, the prosecutors also presented the accusations in the Microsoft file, showing that in 2009, Dorin Cocos, based on a deal with Gheorghe Ştefan and cu Gabriel Sandu, asked from Claudiu Florică, at that time head of Fujitsu Romania, and frmer tennis player Dinu Pescariu EUR 9 million for him, EUR 3.9 million for Stefan and EUR 2.7 million for Sandu for influencing Gabriel Sandu, at that time minister of Communications, as well as other people in the government, the Ministry of Communications and The Ministry of Finances, to support the companies supported by Florica to win the contract of Microsoft licenses in 2009.

Prosecutors believe that Cocos received from Florica, through Pescariu, the sum of EUR 9 million.

“The sums of money were transferred from the D-CON.NET account in the Barringwood Investment Ltd. account, where the sum of EUR 3.9 million was transferred in the DD Land Oil Corporate LTD account, EUR 2.7 million in the account of Essim Partners C and the sum of EUR 9 million was sent to Dorin Cocos. The money was kept secret through fictitious contracts,” said the documents.

Udrea was also minister of tourism between 2008- February 2013, and she was well-known as a close ally of former president Traian Basescu.

Udrea also was a candidate in the presidential elections last year.

Otilia Haraga

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