A LONG SUNDAY. ARREST WARRANTS FOR TWENTY ONE MEMBERS OF CORDUNEANU CLAN
Core members of the clan recruited people who were send abroad to commit felonies – theft, prostitution, begging, robberies, electronic fraud while their criminal activities were carefully coordinated and supervised by those close to Corduneanu family, specially handpicked to do so. The organized criminal group acted in Romania and Republic of Moldova and also in other European countries, such as Italy, Spain, Ireland, Austria, Germany. The clan’s criminal activity started with violent crimes and soon the group gained enough notoriety that the simple mention of the name CORDUNEANU was sufficient for the victims to comply with the accused requirements or to determine the victims and the recruited persons to act in their benefit. The amount of money resulted from these criminal activities exceeded 2 million Euros – sent in the country to the defendant Bogdan Constatin or to other trusted people. The defendants are being investigated for initiating, constructing or adhering to an organized criminal group, blackmail, real estate schemes, false banking loan, children trafficking, money laundering, cyber crimes.
Prosecutors from Direction for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism – Territorial Office Iași ordered 24 hours custody for 21 defendants and proposed to the court the preventive arrest for 29 days. The press release announcing the number of investigated and held persons was posted yesterday afternoon on the Direction for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) website.
“Prosecutors from Direction for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) – Territorial Office Iași, with technical and information support from SRI and DGIPI and together with officers from BCCO Iaşi, Suceava, Bacău and BCCO Bucharest and personnel from Romanian County Police moved to dismantle the organized criminal group, known as “Corduneanu Clan””, is mentioned in the statement issued by DIICOT. Yesterday morning, 110 people were brought in for questioning, among whom Costel and Bogdan Corduneanu. No fewer than 30 people were indicted for credit cards forgery, real estate blackmail, drug trafficking. Teams of DIICOT from Iaşi and Bucharest searched the defendant’s apartments. “I will act as defense lawyer for Costel and Bogdan Corduneanu and also for other members of their family if they need it; they weren’t held just brought in for questioning and currently we are waiting for the results from DIICOT prosecutors”, said lawyer Marius Striblea in the afternoon.
Subsequently, the lawyer depicted the law enforcement actions as one “meant to ruin the image of Corduneanu family”. “The number of people deployed exceeded 400 policemen and county policemen, with air support from a helicopter provided by the Romanian General Aviation Inspectorate. The clan’s leader is defendant Bogdan Constantin, ex Corduneanu, with the core being also Corduneanu family members, to whom other people joined in time” specifies the DIICOT statement. The investigators predict that the prejudices resulted from organized crime activities totals “millions of Euros”. Adrian Corduneanu, in general pursuit, although escaped the morning raid, gave himself up late yesterday.
The wife of CITADIN director is among the defendants
Over 15 lawyers arrived at the hearings. They used different strategies to defend their clients.
Lawyer Gianina Poroşnicu defends Gabriel Maleş and other five people among those held for examinations. “He is the first client who walked back home. He is a fortunate case. The others will arrive at 22-23 hours before the judges. For most of them the preventive arrest motion is filed”, explained last night lawyer Gianina Poroşnicu.
Lawyer Marius Striblea (he defends six persons, among them Bogdan and Costel Corduneanu): “The Corduneanu brand was used to justify the biggest action made by authorities after 1990. It’s a unique, visible action that brings a lot of positive image. I am convinced there aren’t many evidences behind this action. We are talking about 110 brought in for questioning, out of which 31 to be held into custody”. Ciprian Mitoşeriu (he defends Iulian Bogdan): “Many people were brought in. I think there is no connection between them, but they were picked up concurrently in order to suggest the idea of a clan”. Lawyer Bogdan Tufeanu (he defends Ştefan Andrioaiei): “My client is accused of joining a private computer system without license, but without any material prejudice inflicted to anyone”. Lawyer Toni Baltag (he defends Daniel Târşu, who collapsed during the hearings and needed medical assistance) contradicts Ciprian Mitoşeriu: “Considering that many people were brought along in the same time, there must be a connection between them”.
Lawyer Bogdan Luca defends two women: Felomela Mihaela Neculau and Elena Călin, accused of helping in issuing false documents in order to obtain loans. Mihaela Felomela Mihai is the wife of Cătălin Neculau, CITADIN director.
Lawyer Marcel Munteanu defends Constantin Moloman and Valentin Nechifor. Lawyer Claudia Ciofu defends Constantin Darie, accused of forgery.