The Microsoft case file strikes again directly at ex-president Traian Băsescu. The funding of his 2009 elections campaign for the presidency is being investigated in 3 new files derived from the Microsoft one.
One is based on the facts raised by the businessman Zsolt Irsza about the 2009 presidential campaign funding. Irsza was a witness in the Quality Trophy case file, which led to the conviction of former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, but he also appears in the case of Elena Udrea, related to the millions of letters PDL sent in the campaign on behalf of Traian Basescu.
Prosecutors also ordered investigations in the case related to the denunciation made by Gabriel Sandu and talk, for the first time, about the existence of invoices as evidence for the fraudulent money spending in the 2009 campaign.
The disclosures surfaced at the time the former president was being heard at the General Prosecution Office in the case file he is charged with blackmail and threat instrumented by PSD senator Gabriela Firea.
A third file targeting the verification of the money spent in the 2009 election campaign of Traian Băsescu was the denunciation made by Gheorghe Ştefan, said Pinalti.
Black money for PDL
In the indictment of the four defendants in the Microsoft case, prosecutors argue:
"Related to the money laundering offence by defendant Gheorghe Ştefan the disjunction of the case will be ordered to be verified by his defense about the fact that the real beneficiary of some amounts of money was the Liberal Democratic Party and to establish the track of the money to the end beneficiary ".
" Also, the disjunction in the case will be ordered with the purpose of continuing the prosecution of defendant Sandu Gabriel for money laundering. The statements by defendant Sandu Gabriel and the documents he submitted on file (invoices certifying the acquisition through companies he controlled of election materials for the PDL campaign during 2008-2009), show that the end beneficiary of the amounts of money received from the whistleblowers is the Liberal Democratic Party. In order to complete the track of the money up to the end beneficiaries and their involvement in the crimes committed, the continuation of the criminal prosecution id requested".
Source: the prosecutors indictment
Cocoş: Blaga and Udrea knew about the Microsoft bribe
Dorin Cocos acknowledges having received from witnesses Pescariu Dinu and Florică Claudiu about 5.9 million euros, of which amount he made payments for the PDL campaign and personal interest payments, prosecutors say.
"The 600.000 euros I submitted in installments at the PDL headquarters in Modrogan,I gave it to Mr. Ivaşcu to be exact at the request of Mr. Vasile Blaga. I gave the money without receiving any receipt in this sense. The 50.000 euro I gave to Alin Albu, PDL treasurer, to purchase some buckets. 30.000 euro I gave to Mr. Radian Tufă, general Secretary of the Ministry of Transport to pay up for the transportation of the containers with election materials.
I would like to mention that I personally supported the campaign in 2009 to get the Government’s support for the performance of this contract. In this regard, we have been supported by Vasile Blaga and Elena Udrea.
In a discussion with Vasile Blaga I was told that I had to cover the amount of the products value that were on the above mentioned list, adding that the amount needed was of around 3.000.000 euro.
I specify that Udrea Elena Gabriela knew about the actions I had undertaken related to the Microsoft licensing contract performance and about the money received and as I have stated she provided he support in the Government. Vasile Blaga knew also about this and he also supported the contract’s performance ", stated Dorin Cocoş.
Traian Băsescu: I was never in charge of my campaigns funding
What exactly did Pinalti say in his denunciation: I’ve had a business relationship with him, he would run the business and I would propose where he could give some of the money
I met Decebal Draghiş in 2007 after the ski slope was finished. He came to Piatra Neamţ for the enduro contest and for the show on the ski slope. I’ve had a business relationship with him, to be precise he would run the business and I would propose where he could contribute with some of the profit his companies made. I personally told him to give some of his companies profit for football, TV or the elections campaigns.
After Cocoş Dorin told me that for the intervention I had with Gabriel Sandu I stood to collect a 4.000.000 euro commission, I personally recommended Decebal Draghiş to Cocoş Dorin.
Decebal Draghiş had to cash in the 4.000.000 euro for a company of his, to donate part of the money cashed in to PDL, to make expenditures related to the 2009 elections campaign and to withheld a 15% commission. I met with Cocoş Dorin and Decebal Draghiş. Each one of them told me the problem was solved “, Gheorghe Ştefan stated.