Romania’s anticorruption prosecutors have indicted Relu Fenechiu, a former MP and member of the National Liberal Party (PNL) for influence peddling and money laundering.

Between 2004 and 2008 Fenechiu allegedly received a EUR 4.3 million bribe from a private company which he helped win an IT contract with the Education Ministry, according to prosecutors.

Fenechiu approached people at the helm of the Education Ministry to make sure that the contract would be attributed to that company. He allegedly received EUR 2.5 million in two cash installments, via an intermediary. The rest of the money was delivered in the accounts of two companies for two fictitious consultancy contracts.

Fenechiu also served as Transport Minister in the Ponta cabinet from December 2012 to July 2013. He resigned after he was convicted to five years in jail for corruption and went to prison the following year.

He recently admitted his guilt in another corruption case in which he was accused of taking EUR 900,000 in bribes from an IT company to help it win contracts with the Justice Ministry and with state-owned drug producer Antibiotice Iasi. He may thus spend another 3 years and 10 months in jail.

editor@romania-insider.com