Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz is among group of four Israeli businessmen accused of involvement in real estate corruption scandal in Romania Four attempted to take over state-owned lands in Bucharest through fraud and bribery, reports local media.
Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate has been seeking the arrest of four Israeli businessmen, including prominent Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz, suspected of involvement in a real estate corruption scandal in the country, local media reported on Thursday.
Romanian authorities have accused Steinmetz, businessman and political consultant Tal Silberstein, Moshe Agavi and former Prime Minister’s Office Director Shimon Sheves of conducting illicit real estate deals that cost the state some $150 million.
The four, along with Romanian businessman Remus Truica and Paul-Philippe Hohenzollern, also known as Prince Paul of Romania, allegedly attempted to take over state-owned lands near Bucharest by way of fraud and bribery.
Remus Truica was arrested on Wednesday after being questioned at the directorate’s local headquarters in Brasov. The prosecution is charging him with setting up and running an organized crime group.
The four have denied involvement in any illegal action attributed to Truica.
