former SRI General Dumitru Dumbravă Dies Amidst Influence-Peddling Examination
Bucharest – Dumitru dumbravă, a former general of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), has died while under investigation for alleged influence-peddling and forming a criminal group. The Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) had been building a case against Dumbravă, along with former SRI Deputy Director Florian Coldea and businessman Gabriel Trailă, centering on accusations of exploiting their positions for personal gain.
The investigation, which began earlier this year, alleges the trio engaged in a systematic scheme to profit from their connections and perceived influence within Romanian institutions. prosecutors detailed a network involving consulting firms established by former military personnel, co-opted law firms, and investigative companies, all allegedly used to facilitate illicit activities and conceal undue benefits. Specifically, Dumbravă, Coldea, and Trailă were accused of soliciting €600,000 from businessman Cătălin Hideg in exchange for influencing a court decision in his fraud case involving European funds.
DIICOT’s probe revealed a pattern of behavior where the defendants allegedly offered to resolve problems for individuals and businesses across various sectors, leveraging their claimed influence or connections to influential figures. The alleged scheme involved attracting clients through the reputation of those associated with the consulting firms, creating a façade of legality for their operations.Prosecutors also allege the group utilized legal assistance contracts and consulting agreements to obscure illicit financial transactions and benefit from disputes involving individuals with ties to lawyers and even magistrates.
The investigation remains ongoing, despite Dumbravă’s death, with authorities continuing to examine the extent of the alleged criminal network and the full scope of its activities. The case highlights ongoing concerns about corruption and the potential for abuse of power within Romania’s intelligence and legal systems.
