Romanian businessman and Member of the Parliament George Becali, who recently received a three – year prison sentence and has already been sent to jail, is asking the court to give him a three—month postponement of his sentence to put his affairs in order. Becali argued he is the only financial supporter of his family – three children, wife and his mother. He also said the employees of the companies he owns would also need him to take care of business and make sure they are paid while he is in jail.

Becali argued his prison sentence took him by surprise, as the businessman already had been cleared by another court, and the prison sentence came during the appeal.

Gigi Becali owns the football Club Steaua, and is known for his businesses involving the sale of land plots in the Northern area of Bucharest.

Becali is not the first businessman in jail to have asked for a break to put his house and businesses in order. Ilie Carabulea, the owner of Banca Carpatica, submitted a similar request in 2012, when he was sentenced to one and a half years in jail for bribery. In the end, he only spent several months in jail, as he was released on parole.

Romania's Supreme Court sentenced Becali to three years imprisonment for the MApN (Defense Ministry) land exchange case. Former minister Babiuc and former Chief of Staff General Dumitru Cioflină also received two-year jail sentences.

According to the bill of indictment, between 1996 and 1999, the Defense Ministry, which managed the state owned land in Voluntari, near capital Bucharest, exchanged some land plots – 28.8 hectares with Gigi Becali. This land exchange cost the Romanian state a total amount of over USD 890,000.

editor@romania-insider.com