The Romanian police have raided the headquarters of several firms in the media sector and the homes of several people who are suspected for tax evasion and money laundering, on Thursday, December 11. One of the targeted firms is Mediafax Group, which is one of the largest media companies in Romania, according to judicial sources quoted by Agerpres newswire.

“The police is conducting 14 searches which target the headquarters and the work points of the firms involved, as well as the suspects’ homes, in Bucharest and Ilfov county. Almost 100 policemen take part in this operation,” reads a press release from Bucharest’s Police Directorate.

The Economic Crimes Investigation Unit of the Romanian Police is coordinated in this case by the Prosecutor’s Office of Romania’s Supreme Court. They are investigating a group of media firms which are suspected of tax evasion and money laundering.

One of the people targeted in this case in Orlando Nicoara, the former CEO of Mediafax Group, who left the company in October. Nicoara was questioned by prosecutors a few days ago. Other managers and members of the board in the media companies were called in for questioning.

Mediafax Group is controlled by Romanian businessman Adrian Sarbu, the founder of Romania’s largest TV station, PRO TV, and the former CEO of media group Central European Media Enterprises (CME), which now owns PRO TV. Sarbu left CME last year.

MediaPro, another media group which owns film production studios and other media assets in Romania, which was also founded by Sarbu, but is currently owned by CME, is also investigated by Romanian prosecutors for tax evasion and money laundering. According to the Romanian media, the two cases, targeting MediaPro and Mediafax are ate news agency in Romania, and Ziarul Financiar, which is the largest business daily newspaper in Romania.

Mediafax Group last year had a turnover of EUR 17.3 million and EUR 2.6 million losses. The group had 263 employees, according to data from the Finance Ministry. Mediafax SA, which is also part of the group, had a turnover of EUR 2.8 million and 212 employees.

Mediafax Group filed for insolvency at the end of November. The court was supposed to rule on the company’s insolvency request on December 11.

editor@romania-insider.com