Romanian MP investigated in fiscal evasion case

Senator Cezar Mircea Magureanu is investigated by the prosecutors of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), along with directors of the fiscal agency ANAF and commissioners of the financial guard, in a fiscal evasion case that involved intra community transactions of sugar.

The organized crime prosecutors and officers of the judiciary dismantled a crime group with cross-border links that got illegal VAT reimbursements.

This was done by 4 firms through the import or acquisitions/delivery of goods intra community without registration in the books or by mentioning fake operations.

DIICOT said the prejudice to the state budget exceeded an annual EUR 40 million between 2010 and 2012.

Authorities carried out this morning 256 house searches in Bucharest and other 10 counties. This resulted in the transportation of 125 suspects to the DIICOT headquarters. They are charged with the set up of a criminal group, fiscal evasion and money laundering.

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The prosecutors said the illegal activity was supported by the deputy general director and the acquisitions director at ANAF, an employee of the public finance division in Giurgiu County and six commissioners of the financial guard.

The illegal activity was carried out in Giurgiu County – near Bucharest, and was supported by the Butoane criminal network that is active in this area. Although MP Magureanu was involved in this case, his contributions will be analyzed in a separate penal cause as he is senator. In fact, MPs will have to lift his parliamentary immunity through a vote.

“I am not involved at all. It is the firm of my son-in-law,” Magureanu said in a broadcasted appearance quoted by Agerpres newswire. ” I know that I haven’t done any type of smuggling, I have never been investigated…I have to prove I am not guilty with documents, but I don’t have any and I don’t know what accusations they manufactured against me…I will analyze how to dismantle these fake accusations.”

Magureanu said he doesn’t know the persons involved in this case, nor the activity of the Butoane clan.

Magureanu, 55, has been MP since 2008 and a member of the social democratic party PSD since May 2012. He was member of the liberal party PNL until October 2009.

Ovidiu Posirca