The anti-graft prosecutors are looking for former Romanian MP Sebastian Ghita after he didn't go to a hearing at the National Anticorruption Directorate – DNA’s office in Ploiesti.

The prosecutors wanted to question Ghita in a corruption case related to the visit of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Romania. Ghita is a suspect in the case together with the former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta.

According to prosecutors, Ponta allegedly received EUR 220,000 from Sebastian Ghita to organize the visit of Tony Blair in Romania in 2012, and in exchange for the money, Ponta appointed Ghita as MP candidate on the lists of the Social-Democratic Party (PSD).

DNA subpoenaed Ghita but he didn’t go to the DNA Ploiesti headquarters sending his lawyers instead. The prosecutors sent the Police to bring Ghita to the hearings with a warrant, but the former MP couldn’t be found at any of his addresses on Wednesday, according to judicial sources quoted by local Mediafax.

The investigators don’t exclude the possibility that Sebastian Ghita has left the country, which would be a breach of the judicial control imposed on him. A local court ruled the judicial control against Ghita in another case in which he is investigated for corruption offenses together with the former head of the Prahova County Police Viorel Dosaru and other former prosecutors attached to the Ploiesti Court of Appeal.

Sebastian Ghita recently lost his immunity after he failed to get another MP mandate. Ghita ran for the United Romania Party (PRU), a new party with Nationalistic views. PRU didn’t pass the 5% electoral threshold needed to enter the Parliament.

Sebastian Ghita is one of the most controversial local politicians and businessmen. He has made a fortune by setting up several IT companies that have benefited from public contracts. In 2012, he became the richest member of the Romanian Parliament and officially sold his businesses.

According to his latest wealth statement filed in June this year, Ghita has EUR 18 million in an account at UBS Switzerland, and close to EUR 100 million worth of loans to several people. He also owns art, jewelry and watches worth EUR 17 million. He also controls Romania TV, one of the top local TV channels.

Ghita’s name has been involved in many scandals in recent years and DNA has charged him with several corruption offenses.

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editor@romania-insider.com