Romanian TV Station Owner Dan Diaconescu Charged With New Count Of Blackmail

Prosecutors with the National Anticorruption Department (DNA) heard Wednesday businessman Petru Paul Tardea, who in 2005 informed against Diaconescu regarding certain acts of blackmail. The case set up on Tardea’s information also involved Mihai Ghezea, then general manager of the magazine „Atac la persoana.” In 2007, the DNA referred the matter to the Prosecutor’s Office of a lower Bucharest court, where the case was closed.

Recently, the DNA requested the file be re-analyzed and the case was consequently re-opened. Diaconescu was charged with a new count of black mail and Mihai Ghezea was also indicted.

On June 23, prosecutors detained Diaconescu and TV producer Doru Parv for 24 hours for allegedly demanding money from Ion Mot, mayor of a commune in Arad county, western Romania, to avoid broadcasting compromising material about him.

According to prosecutors, Mot accused Parv of soliciting bribe in order not to disclose on Diaconescu’s TV channel images aimed to discredit him. The decision to start criminal investigation against Diaconescu, dated June 18, shows that the TV station owner threatened Mot, both directly and through Parv, in an attempt to get Mot to give them EUR200,000.

On June 25, the Bucharest Court ruled to release Diaconescu, but decided that Parv would remain in custody. Diaconescu is forbidden to leave the country, meet with the witnesses in his case and talk about his case on the TV station he owns. Following the Court’s decision, the TV owner is investigated at large.