Romania’s Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) is investigating a fraud case that could possibly lead to the head of the senior ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea. The DNA confirmed the probe on July 7 after investigative journalism site Rise Project released a classified document detailing the actions being investigated.

It is not clear to what extent the DNA investigation is concerned with the activities of Dragnea, one of the most powerful politicians in Romania. The DNA’s July 7 note on its investigation is specific enough to support speculation that prosecutors have indeed spotted frauds involving Dragnea, but vague enough to raise serious doubts about the chances that they are in possession of sound proof against the ruling coalition leader.

The investigations are being carried out in regard to actions and not individuals, the DNA note said. The agency implied in the note that “part of the elements in the investigative journalism case published on July 6” are the subject of a criminal case initiated on February 19, 2016. This is a reference to the Rise Project investigation (published on July 6), which claims that Dragnea built his fortune on fraud together with a group of partners that used to gather in Brazil.

However, the only two elements that link the DNA’s statement to the Rise Project investigations are the date of publication of the investigative story and Brazil: the place where the group described by Rise Project used to gather. The Rise Project claims that Dragnea has properties and runs businesses in Brazil. Prosecutors have asked for information from the authorities in Brazil, the DNA said.

Dragnea has denied owning properties or businesses in Brazil, but has admitted that he used to spend his holidays in the country.

At the core of the investigation published by Rise Project on July 6 is a classified document dated 2012 that describes the way Dragnea and his partners made fortunes from public contracts for road rehabilitation and construction. 

The document was apparently written by an officer of the intelligence service under the command of the ministry of interior. The DGPI denied being the source of the document.

Dragnea is the owner of Tel Drum construction company, according to the report. The officer claimed in the leaked document that his efforts to have the case investigated further were stopped by his superiors. 

Rise Project also speculates about the legal procedures allegedly used by Dragnea to bring the intelligence services within the interior ministry, the Directia Generala de Protectie Interna (DGPI), more directly under the control of Minister of Interior Carmen Dan, one of his close collaborators.

The DNA’s investigations in the case date from before February 2016 (the date DNA said in its note that the investigation on this case began). It remains unclear why the information, reportedly in the possession of the DNA since 2013, has not previously resulted in the case being sent to court.

A police officer working for the DNA (transferred from the police to the DNA to help prosecutors) was sentenced to eight years in first instance for having disclosed, in 2013, classified information that he claimed was related to Dragnea’s alleged firm Tel Drum. He told Adevarul daily in May 2017 about documents originating from the intelligence services SRI regarding Dragnea’s businesses. The police officer admits he used to inform PSD politicians about the cases investigated by the DNA and that he made a copy of the report on Tel Drum with the view of sending the information to Dragnea. The copy of the document was, however, found by DNA prosecutors in the possession of a PSD politician before it reached Dragnea. Both the police officers and PSD politician were indicted and sentenced.