Former presidential candidate Kelin Georgescu was detained in Romania
Romanian prosecutors have detained former presidential candidate Kelin Georgescu as part of an investigation into the formation of an organized criminal group and fraud. The politician was stopped on the road and taken to his home in Mogoșoaia, where searches are being conducted.
On Monday, September 21, prosecutors from Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, together with the criminal police, are conducting five searches in Bucharest and the towns of Mogoșoaia, Călpani, and Buftea.
Georgescu was stopped while driving and taken to his residence so that he could be present during the search. Once the investigative procedures are complete, the politician is to be taken to the prosecutor’s central office for questioning.
The case involves alleged fraud in which the victim lost more than €1.1 million. According to the investigation, in September 2021, two Romanian citizens and one Italian citizen formed an organized group. Investigators believe the group operated under the leadership of a 64-year-old Romanian citizen. Romanian media have identified him as Georgescu.
According to law enforcement, the group’s members posed as wealthy foreign businessmen and offered Romanian entrepreneurs assistance in obtaining large loans from foreign financial institutions. To gain access to the financing, potential borrowers first had to provide a monetary “guarantee.”
One of the victims was promised help in obtaining a €6 million loan. Under this pretext, he was persuaded to transfer over €1 million as a guarantee. Later, the man was offered an increase in the loan amount to €15 million and was persuaded to deposit an additional €100,000. The total amount of losses, according to investigators, exceeded €1.1 million. Investigative actions in the case are being conducted at five addresses. Following the searches, the suspects are to be questioned at the central office of the prosecutor’s office.
Source: Digi24
Earlier, Georgescu announced his resignation.
Prior to that, Georgescu had called Romania a colony of France and Brussels.
On March 11, 2025, Romania’s Constitutional Court unanimously rejected all 12 appeals against the Central Election Commission’s decision to bar pro-Russian politician Kelin Georgescu from participating in the May presidential election.
