The Romanian Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (DNA) announced Thursday, January 14 the indictment of the former strongman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD, opposition) Liviu Dragnea, accused of corruption after his participation in the inauguration ceremony of US President Donald Trump in January 2017.
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Dragnea is suspected of having obtained "
undue benefits for himself and his party
", for a total amount of 380,000 dollars, according to a press release.
In particular, he was paid an invitation to the inauguration ceremony and to a dinner with Trump by a businessman, Gheorghe Dimitrescu, also indicted in this case.
At a cost of $ 250,000, this sesame "
was obtained through the vice-chairman of the inauguration committee
," the American Elliott Broidy, prosecutors said.
Media reports said Broidy, who helped fund Trump's campaign, is under investigation in the United States for using his position to secure business deals from foreign officials.
Dragnea would also have convinced Dimitrescu to pay an additional 130,000 dollars for lobbying services, which were to facilitate contacts with senior American officials, prosecutors added.
The leader of the PSD had in exchange obtained from the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time to appoint Dimitrescu to the post of consul in Bonn.
In prison since May 2019, Dragnea is serving a sentence of three and a half years in prison in a case of fictitious jobs.
In 2017, when his party was in power, he launched a controversial reform of the justice system intended to shield politicians suspected of corruption from prosecution.
Criticized by Brussels for this project considered a "
threat to the rule of law in Romania
", he tried to get into Washington's good graces following the election of Trump.
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