Prosecutors in Alba conducted 47 searches in five counties on Friday in a case involving suspicions that confidential information about the 2026 Baccalaureate exam was leaked to facilitate exam fraud.
The raids took place at the homes of individuals in the counties of Alba, Arad, Bihor, Cluj, and Sibiu, according to Edupedu. Prosecutors and police from multiple counties, supported by gendarmes, participated in the operation.
Network created as early as 2023
Subsequently, prosecutors announced the detention of five individuals suspected of disclosing secret or non-public information with the aim of exam fraud. They allegedly established a network two years ago through which exam questions were photographed in the exam rooms, immediately solved, and distributed for a fee to candidates. Dozens of candidates thus obtained answers during each Baccalaureate exam session, prosecutors claim.
"Based on the evidence gathered, the prosecuting authorities have ordered the continuation of the criminal investigation against 5 suspects for committing offenses of disclosing secret or non-public information with the aim of exam fraud, with a reasonable suspicion that, between 2023-2026, they created and consolidated a network of individuals for the purpose of exam fraud by dozens of candidates at each exam session, in order to obtain money," prosecutors stated.
According to the source cited by News.ro, some candidates filmed the exam questions in the exam rooms and immediately transmitted them after the start of the exam through remote communication means when they were non-public, and then the questions were promptly solved by other individuals. The suspects then relayed the answers to individuals wearing discreet earpiece electronic devices in the exam rooms.
"The money obtained from successful candidates was distributed among all those involved, depending on their role in this scheme," prosecutors specified.
Minister: Glasses with video cameras and artificial intelligence discovered
In the context of the investigation, Minister of Education Mihai Dimian sent a message appreciating the work of the prosecutors and addressed the fraud attempts uncovered during this exam session.
"In this Baccalaureate session, several fraud attempts, including the use of sophisticated electronic devices such as glasses equipped with video cameras and artificial intelligence, were identified and stopped by colleagues supervising the exam. I congratulate the vigilant supervising colleagues," the minister wrote on Facebook.
He also expressed his "appreciation" to the police officers and prosecutors involved in the investigations conducted by the Alba Tribunal Prosecutor's Office regarding suspicions of disclosing non-public information for exam fraud.
"The integrity of exams is the foundation of trust in education and is non-negotiable," Mihai Dimian emphasized.