The Roma show off their palaces. Just as they make a show off from their so-called legitimate business. But behind the high gates of the golden palaces reigns tax evasion. Authorities do know what the Roma clans are doing, but seem unable to deal with them.
For example, among the most wealthy Roma is Ionelaş Cârpaci from Timisoara, with a fortune estimated at 13 million euros, money made from illegal real estate business.
The top accounts also gypsy leader Ferdinand Stanescu Grajduri village, Iaşi county with a fortune of seven million euros. He says he made money from trade. It seems that the origin of his wealth is placed somewhere in the 90s, when he bought tin and iron from Sidex Galati and sold it with much more, including to the Army. Now Ferdinand Stanescu is trading heavy equipment. He buys equipment from Romania, refurbishes them in Cluj and sells them abroad at a higher price, but still a much lower price than a new machine would cost.
And obviously, the top also counts Sandu Anghel said Bercea Mondial, who was related to the brother of President Traian Basescu. Bercea Mondial of Slatina, Olt, has a fortune estimated at 4 million he made from metal business, usury, money laundering and extortion, as the many criminal cases on his name and other family members point to. Over the time investigators seized and foreclosed significant amounts of money, but which is very little compared to the huge losses his evasion incurred to the state budget.