Former Minister of Agriculture Adrian Chesnoiu was sentenced on Wednesday by the High Court of Cassation and Justice to 4 years in prison, in a case involving fraud in job contests organized within the Ministry of Agriculture.
The court’s decision is not final and can be appealed.
Chesnoiu, former PSD deputy from Olt and Minister of Agriculture in the government led by Nicolae Ciucă, was indicted by the DNA in December 2022, being accused of abuse of office and incitement to allow unauthorized persons access to non-public information.
Arranged contests for positions in the ministry
According to anti-corruption prosecutors, the actions took place between February 9 and April 11, 2022, when Chesnoiu was Minister of Agriculture.
The DNA alleges that he would have instructed a subordinate, a member of several examination boards, to pass on some of the written test subjects to Andrei Cristian Răducan, considered a close associate of the minister.
"The respective subjects would later reach the 'approved' candidates, namely Aurel Sandu, Mihai-Cosmin Corobea, Mihai Pârv, and Cătălin Ionuț Lăscaie. After receiving the subjects and passing the written test, the defendant Cătălin Ionuț Lăscaie would have been rejected in the interview," the investigators stated.
The contests aimed to fill important positions in the territorial structures of the Ministry of Agriculture, such as first-class counselor, head of department, or executive directors in county departments.
Direct intervention in the case of a candidate
Prosecutors claim that the former minister directly intervened to ensure that one of the candidates was declared admitted, even though they had not obtained the required score.
"At the direct intervention of the former minister, in the case of candidate Aurel Sandu, the commission members would have been forced to promote him, even though he did not achieve a corresponding score," the DNA stated.
Following the appointment to the position of department head, the person in question would have received a salary of 50,995 lei during the time they held the position.
Compensations to the Ministry of Agriculture
The court granted the civil action filed by the Ministry of Agriculture, obliging Adrian Chesnoiu to pay 50,995 lei, representing the salaries paid to the appointed person.
Additionally, the former minister must pay 13,500 lei in court costs to the state.
Currently, Chesnoiu holds the position of General Director of the Agency for Rural Investment Financing (AFIR).
Convictions for other defendants
In the same case, other convictions were also pronounced, but with suspended sentences:
- Andrei Cristian Răducan, former Deputy General Director at the Ministry of Agriculture - 2 years suspended and 100 days of community service;
- Aurel Sandu, former department head at the ministry - 1 year suspended;
- Mihai Cosmin Corobea, former counselor at the ministry - 1 year suspended;
- Mihai Pârv, former Deputy Executive Director at the Arad Agriculture Directorate - 1 year suspended;
- Cătălin Ionuț Lăscaie, former county councilor and vice president of PSD Dâmbovița - 1 year suspended.
All of them were also required to perform 100 days of unpaid community service.
Adrian Chesnoiu resigned from the position of Minister of Agriculture in June 2022, after the DNA requested the lifting of his parliamentary immunity to be criminally prosecuted.