Ionuț Costea, former president of Eximbank and brother-in-law of Mircea Geoană, was brought to Romania from Turkey on Tuesday under the escort of the Romanian Police to serve a 6-year prison sentence.
Costea had been internationally wanted after, in May 2023, he was definitively sentenced for complicity in bribery in a corruption case related to the modernization of the Bucharest – Constanta railway line.
Costea was escorted from Turkey on a special flight.
In the morning, the Ministry of Justice announced that, „today, June 24, the citizen Ionuț Mircea Costea is to be handed over to the Romanian authorities. The aforementioned Romanian citizen is brought to the national territory by officers of the Romanian Police, and will be incarcerated in a unit under the National Prison Administration. This represents a success of the Romanian judicial authorities.”
Conviction in the railway case
On May 26, 2023, the Bucharest Tribunal sentenced Ionuț Costea to 6 years in prison for complicity in bribery, in the same case former Finance Minister Sebastian Vlădescu was also sentenced.
The investigation focused on alleged corruption related to the payment for works on the Bucharest - Constanta railway section, financed by international funds.
Internationally wanted since 2023, located in Istanbul in February 2024
Costea was internationally wanted on May 29, 2023.
In January 2024, he was located in Istanbul following cooperation between the SIRENE Office of the Romanian Police and Turkish authorities.
"As a result of the data and information exchange carried out by the SIRENE Office within the International Police Cooperation Center - I.G.P.R. with external partners, namely the Turkish authorities, a 64-year-old man wanted internationally for the crime of bribery was located in Istanbul," announced the IGPR at that time.
Mircea Geoană's reaction
After his brother-in-law's conviction, Mircea Geoană, then Deputy Secretary General of NATO, stated:
"Even in complicated moments, democratic values must prevail. Without exception, judicial decisions must be respected and enforced. Each of us is responsible for the decisions made. Mihaela and I will continue to stand by our grandchildren and offer them the support they need in these difficult times."