Fraud Convict Denies Romanian Media Owner Vintu Sent Him Money

The Bucharest Court, which ruled last week to place Vintu under 29-day preventive arrest for aiding a convict, said Monday in its motivation that Popa's testimony is "clearly dishonest", as evidence shows the contrary.

Vintu was placed under arrest Friday, together with Octavian Turcan and Alex Stoian, on charges of aiding and abetting a convict. The Court of Appeals is expected to try an appeal to the arrest ruling.

Vintu, who owns news channel Realitatea TV news, allegedly helped Popa leave the country before he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for defrauding over 300,000 investors in the collapsed National Investment Fund (FNI), and sent him money while he was abroad.

Popa, who fled Romania in May 2000, was arrested on December 2, 2009 by authorities in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Romanian Justice Ministry sent Indonesian authorities a request to extradite Popa. Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with Romania, but the Indonesian president has approved Romania's extradition request.

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