The Bucharest Court of Appeal on Tuesday, September 29, upheld an appeal by DIICOT prosecutors and ordered former Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu placed in pre-trial detention for 30 days. The same measure was applied to businessman Ionel Rusen. The ruling is final.
Georgescu and Rusen are accused of forming an organized criminal group and committing aggravated fraud. According to investigators, they, together with Italian businessman Massimiliano Arena, persuaded Romanian entrepreneur Răzvan Leu to transfer €1 million as a guarantee, and later another €100,000, supposedly to obtain a foreign credit line of up to €15 million. The loan was never provided. Total damages are estimated at €1.1 million.
Both men were detained for 24 hours on September 21 after searches. The Bucharest Tribunal initially rejected prosecutors’ request for detention and released them under judicial supervision for 60 days. DIICOT appealed against that decision. Two judges on the appeals panel could not agree, so a third judge was added; that judge backed pre-trial detention.
Prosecutors cited a flight risk, pointing to recorded conversations in which Georgescu discussed buying property in Italy and seeking political asylum. He denies wrongdoing. Supporters gathered outside the courthouse.
In 2024, Georgescu unexpectedly led the first round of Romania’s presidential election, which was later annulled over suspected interference. He is known for anti-NATO and anti-Western rhetoric. Separate investigations against him are also underway.
