The former US Secretary of State Colin Powell recently denied an alleged relationship with former Romanian presidential spokeswoman and current European Parliament member Corina Creţu (in picture), after a hacker expose personal emails showing the two were close.

The 76-year old Powell, who left the State Department in 2005, stayed in touch with the Romanian woman after leaving his post. A hacker nicknamed Guccifer recently broke into Powell's AOL account and published ten emails from Corina Cretu, including pictures the woman had sent Powell. Cretu wrote Powell in 2010 – 2011 that he was the love of her life, suggesting an old love affair. ““I’ve loved you too much, too many years. YOU were my greatest love of my life . . . ,” Cretu emailed Powell in 2011.

Powell however denied an affair, saying it was never a shared love and that he had always been faithful to his wife of 50 years Alma.

The two met ten years ago, when Powell, then 66, was Secretary of State, and Cretu, then 36, was spokesperson to the Romanian President (both in picture above). The two only in person twice during the last 8 years when Cretu attended group conferences in Washington, according to Powell, quoted by thesmokinggun.com. “Over time the emails became of personal nature, but did not result in an affair,” he went on, adding those types of emails ended years ago. “There is no affair then and there is not one now,” he highlighted, also saying he often gave her advice on the prospects of finding a position with the UN or other international organizations. Since their meeting 10 years ago, Cretu became a politician. In 2007, she was elected Member of the European Parliament, where she is currently serving a second term as part of the Socialist Group.

After learning his email account had been hacked, Powell advised Cretu to delete all their email exchange, according to New York Daily News. 'She sent photos on a regular basis. Lots of family photos with her nieces, who she adores, family reunions, formal business sessions, her wedding and some bathing suit photo ... Never anything improper,' Colin Powell said of Romanian diplomat Corina Cretu, quoted by international media.

The same hacker Guccifer earlier this year claimed to have hacked email accounts belonging to members of the Bush family, publishing correspondence as well as a self-portrait of President George W. Bush in the shower.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Corina Cretu's website)