Former TV personality Dan Diaconescu has been detained for 24 hours by Romanian police for allegedly having sexual relations with minors.  

Police raided Diaconescu's house in Bucharest on the morning of Thursday, April 7, seizing several electronic devices. Subsequently, the former television personality and politician was taken to Constanța, where he was questioned.

Dan Diaconescu is suspected of engaging in sexual acts and prostitution with a minor in continuous form. In 2020 and 2021, he allegedly engaged in sexual relations with a minor for a fee, knowing her age (15 years and 4 months at that time) in Bucharest and Constanța. Later, he did the same with the twin sister of the minor. He also allegedly attempted to find a minor and buy her virginity.

Dan Diaconescu's lawyer, Alexandru Murărescu, stated on Thursday evening that the accusation brought against his client is exaggerated. He also added that his client told him he had never had sexual relations with prostitutes. "When you are accused of such serious crimes, the only hope you have is that at some point the prosecutor and the police officer, as well as the public opinion, will understand that it was an excess. There is a possibility that there may have been some confusion or exaggeration. This is the only possibility I can hold on to at this moment, because I cannot believe that there was a judicial execution, planned and carried out with intention," the lawyer said, cited by News.ro.

Dan Diaconescu, famous for hosting talk shows at the TV station he owned, OTV, was imprisoned in March 2015, after being sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison for blackmailing the mayor of Zărand commune in Arad county, Ion Moț. Between May and September 2009, Dan Diaconescu, directly and indirectly, threatened the mayor to force him to hand over the sum of EUR 200,000. Moț handed over EUR 30,000 and RON 42,000 to an intermediary.

Diaconescu, a former member of parliament, was conditionally released in 2017, after serving nearly 3 years of his sentence. He managed to avoid 200 days in prison after working for his release. Another 150 days were taken off his sentence because he wrote 5 books.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Ilona Andrei)