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Arrests in Pension Fraud Case: Ex-Mayoral Candidate Among Three Detained
🇷🇴 Romania /Crime & Justice

Arrests in Pension Fraud Case: Ex-Mayoral Candidate Among Three Detained

From Adevărul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Three individuals have been arrested in connection with a scheme to obtain pensions using falsified work history.
  • The arrests follow dozens of raids across multiple Romanian counties targeting firms and non-profit associations used to create fake employment records.
  • Investigators estimate that over 860 people received fictitious work experience, with more than 170 using it to claim or increase pension benefits, causing an estimated prejudice of approximately 7 million euros.

Authorities have arrested three people in a case involving the fraudulent acquisition of pensions through fabricated work histories. Among those detained is a former candidate for mayor of Bucharest's Sector 3. The arrests stem from an investigation by the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), which conducted searches across seven Romanian counties on July 15.

Prosecutors allege that individuals were falsely registered as employees of various firms and non-profit associations, despite never actually working there. This fabricated employment data was then used to create artificial work experience and secure pensions. The court ordered the preventive arrest of the three defendants for 30 days, overturning a previous decision by the Bucharest Tribunal.

Admite în parte contestația formulată de PICCJ-DIICOT împotriva încheierii din data de 16.07.2026 pronunțată de Tribunalul București-Secția I Penală în dosarul 29304/3/2026. Desființează în parte încheierea penală contestată și în fond rejudecând: Admite în parte propunerea de arestare preventivă formulată de PICCJ-DIICOT. Dispune arestarea preventivă a inculpaților inculpat 1 (...), inculpat 2 (...), inculpat 3 (...) pentru o perioadă de 30 de zile începând cu data punerii în executare a mandatului de arestare preventivă (...) Respinge ca neîntemeiate contestațiile formulate de contestatorii inculpat 1, inculpat 4, inculpat 3 împotriva aceleiași încheieri. Obligă fiecare contestator-inculpat la plata sumei de 500 lei cu titlu de cheltuieli judiciare avansate de stat. (...) Definitivă

— Court of Appeal BucharestThe court's decision to order the preventive arrest of the three defendants for 30 days.

DIICOT stated that dummy companies and non-profit groups were used to insert individuals into official records as if they had worked for these entities. Through false tax declarations submitted to ANAF, these individuals gained fictitious work experience and contribution periods. This scheme allegedly operated for about five years, impacting over 860 people. More than 170 individuals reportedly used this fake experience to claim or increase their pensions, with some receiving benefits they would not have otherwise qualified for. The estimated prejudice to the state as of December 31, 2024, is approximately 7 million euros.

Prin introducerea în bazele de date ale ANAF a unor declarații fiscale D112 cu informații nereale, beneficiarilor li se crea, în mod fictiv, vechime în muncă și stagii de cotizare

— DIICOTExplaining how fake work history and contribution periods were created for beneficiaries.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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