Călin Georgescu heard at Bucharest Court over arrest extension: two further new cases
DIICOT is seeking a 30-day extension of the preventive arrest of Călin Georgescu, who has been in custody since 29 September. The former presidential candidate is facing accusations of defrauding 1.1 million euros and two additional new cases.
Bucharest Court to rule on Monday on the fate of Călin Georgescu's arrest
Călin Georgescu is to be brought to Bucharest Court on Monday, where DIICOT has requested a further 30-day extension of preventive arrest, according to ProTV News citing Agerpres. The case concerns accusations that the former presidential candidate deceived a businessman for a sum of 1.1 million euros.
Georgescu has been held at the Capital's Central Detention Facility since 29 September. On 13 October, judge Vlad Andriescu of Bucharest Court approved a request to replace preventive arrest with house arrest, but Bucharest Court of Appeal annulled this decision on Friday.
Precious metals fraud scheme
According to case documents, businessman Răzvan Leu was approached with a proposal to invest in precious metals transactions, for which a credit line of 6 million euros was needed. Georgescu reportedly recommended to Leu that he contact Ionel Rusen, who in turn put him in contact with Italian citizen Massimiliano Arena, presented as the representative of a Swiss bank.
To obtain the credit, Leu was asked to pay a guarantee of one million euros, of which 100,000 euros were to finance Georgescu's election campaign. The victim subsequently transferred a further 100,000 euros, with the promise that the loan could increase to 15 million euros. The credit was never granted, and the businessman from Buzău was unable to recover the full guarantee of 1.1 million euros.
Two new criminal cases following arrest
Since the moment of his arrest, Călin Georgescu has accumulated two further criminal cases. On 21 October, DIICOT charged him with requesting a man to scan his villa in Mogoșoaia, with the purpose of detecting any recording devices installed by investigators.
The following day, on 22 October, Georgescu was heard at the Central Detention Facility in a case opened by prosecutors from the Office of the Court attached to Buftea District Court. The accusation relates to an incident on 7 October, when, whilst under judicial control, he allegedly performed the legionary salute upon leaving a church in Buftea.
Source: Știrile ProTV