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BUCHAREST, Romania – Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors have detained a prosecutor and a senior tax official on suspicion they took bribes from a businessman to resolve a court case in his favor.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that Alina Bica, the former chief prosecutor for the agency investigating organized crime and terrorism, received a bribe of 17,500 euros ($19,800) in November 2014 from Serban Pop, the former head of the tax authority, who was acting on behalf of businessman Horia Simu.
Prosecutors say Simu paid Pop 230,000 euros ($260,000) in bribes in the course of 2014 to intervene on his behalf and stop a probe into a fraudulent property restitution case against him.
Prosecutors said in exchange for the alleged bribe, Bica replaced a prosecutor who was investigating Simu.
Bica’s lawyer called the case an abuse.