The Bulgarian citizen in Ciprian Ciucu’s case admitted that he offered a €100,000 bribe to the former head of the ONJN.

The DNA investigation into bribes offered within the National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has led to the expansion of the inquiries in the case of general mayor Ciprian Ciucu. Prosecutors accuse him of allegedly receiving electoral promotion services and consultancy in exchange for administrative actions, accusations the mayor denies.

Bulgarian citizen Daniel Mihaylov Rusanov, accused of allegedly offering 100,000 euros to former ONJN head Odeta Nestor and to several officials of the institution, cooperated with investigators and requested the conclusion of a plea agreement. The DNA proposed a sentence of two years and four months in prison, suspended, with a three-year supervision period. The agreement was submitted to the Bucharest Tribunal, which is to decide whether to validate it.

The initial investigation began after Rusanov was caught red-handed in June, when he was offering 50,000 euros, representing the second installment for obtaining certain permits. According to the DNA, Odeta Nestor allegedly intervened with officials to expedite the procedures.

Wiretaps in the case file and statements by individuals involved led to the expansion of the inquiries to Ciucu. According to the court's reasoning, he allegedly accepted electoral support in exchange for interventions related to real estate projects. The mayor maintains that he did not receive money and that he did not condition the issuance of urban-planning documents.