Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta’s brother-in-law, Iulian Hertanu, was arrested on Tuesday, February 18, on charges of embezzling European funds.

The prosecutors of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) in Ploiesti questioned Hertanu in a criminal case in which they suspect him and several others of having defrauded EU funds worth some 1.75 million.

The money was supposed to be used for the revamping of the sewage system in Comarnic, a small town in the Prahova Valley. The firms that worked on this project allegedly took 54% of the sums and used them for other purposes.

The main contractor on this project was a local firm, Grossman Engineering Group, which is administered by Iulian Hertanu, Ponta’s brother-in-law.

The prosecutors held two other people in this case.

They also investigate the president of the Prahova county council, Mircea Cosma, his son, Vlad Cosma, who is a member of the Parliament, as well as businessman Sebastian Ghita, also an MP and a close friend of Ponta’s. All three were placed under judicial control.

Romanian PM’s brother-in-law investigated for embezzling EU funds

editor@romania-insider.com