Patriciu, quit on Rompetrol file

Bucharest Court Magistrates acquitted businessman Patriciu on Tuesday in Rompetrol case in which prosecutors requested the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for crimes including embezzlement, money laundering and market manipulation.

In the same case were acquitted also the other 11 defendants in the case, including Sorin Rosca Stanescu, Sorin Pantis and Gabriela Anghelache, broadcasted us the news editor of Radio Romania, Diana Surdu.

Magistrates have rejected as unfounded the confiscation claimed by the Ministry of Finance, as well as the confiscation of the amount of nearly 10 million from Patriciu and other defendants.

The decision is not final

Judges’ decision is not final and can be appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Magistrates’ decision was made after two postponements of judgment in August the 2nd and 20th.

Bucharest Court ended on July 18th the trial in Rompetrol file and the court has determined then that the decision will be issued within August the 2nd.

At that date, the court that heard the case delayed the decision for August the 20th

In the case of business man Dinu Patriciu, prosecutors requested the maximum penalty for offenses which are charged in Rompetrol, respectively 20 years of prison.

In the case of others persons accused in this case, the prosecutor requested the court to a minimum guideline sentence, with suspension, which means ten years in prison.

In September 2006, businessman Dinu Patriciu was indicted in Rompetrol file for embezzlement, money laundering and criminal association.

Dinu Patriciu is accused of market manipulation through transactions or orders of trading which give or could give false signals or misleading about supply, demand or price of financial instruments and which maintain by the action of one or more persons acting together, the price of one or several financial instruments at an abnormal or artificial level, in conjunction with the provisions of article 297 of Law 2004 on the capital market.

Another alleged offense to Dinu Patriciu is the disclosure of privileged information, and the initiation or establishment of an organized criminal group.

With him in this case are accused also Alexandru Bucşă, Petrică Grama, Florin Iulian Aldea, Cerasela Elena Rus, Claudiu Simulescu, Sorin Ştefan Roşca Stănescu, Sorin Pantiş, Victor Eros, Paul Gabriel Miclăuş, Elena Albu and Gabriela Victoria Anghelache.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea

MTTLC, Bucharest University