Indonesian Police To Deport Romanian Fraud Convict

Popa, whom the paper dubs „Romanian ‘Bernie Madoff'”, was arrested on December 2 by the authorities in Jakarta, Indonesia, after in 2006 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Bucharest Court on charges of fraud and the court’s ruling remained final in 2009.

A former manager of Romanian financial group Gelsor, Popa was sentenced to jail time along Ioana Maria Vlas in the case of the collapse of the fraudulent National Investment Fund (FNI). More than 100,000 people lost money they had invested in FNI, and the Romanian state, which had guaranteed their investments, was forced to pay out compensation of more than EUR100 million.

Brigade General Radja Erisman, head of the economic crimes division at Indonesian National Police headquarters, confirmed that police had contacted the Romanian Embassy and „notified them that we are working toward sending Popa back to Romania,” the paper wrote. Radja added they were awaiting further information from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights before proceeding, adding that Popa was currently being detained at National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

„Popa has not committed a crime in Indonesia. He was visiting Jakarta as a tourist. We arrested him because of the warrant issued by Interpol at the request of the Romanian Police,” Radja told the Jakarta Globe.

Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with Romania. The 1979 Extradition Law states that the requesting country must make an official extradition request to the Justice Ministry through diplomatic channels, and if no extradition treaty exists between Indonesia and the requesting country, the president can decide on the matter.