The Court of Appeal in Bucharest has recently ruled in favor of placing twelve suspects in a real-estate fraud case under one-month preventive arrest, while three others have been banned from leaving town throughout the investigations. The ruling may be appealed with the Supreme Court.

Organized crime prosecutors detained 15 suspects Thursday night out of 25 accused of real estate fraud. Suspects include three lawyers and a bank manager.

Suspects, as well as witnesses, were brought in for questioning Thursday following searches at the suspects' homes and company headquarters throughout Bucharest. Forty-five people were questioned, including witnesses.

Prosecutors said they disbanded a group of 25 people who allegedly cheated prospective property buyers of about EUR 1 million, selling property they did not own.

Mediafax