A county councilor, convicted for fraud with European funds. Acknowledged his guilt to receive a suspended sentence
European funds, photo: dreamstime.com
A PSD politician, chosen county councilor in Alba County at last year's poll, was sentenced to one year and 10 months in prison with suspension for fraud with European funds. The conviction took place on the basis of an agreement to recognize the guilt that he concluded with DNA prosecutors, admitting that he falsified documents to access European funds he used to make a dairy factory, informs News.ro.
The Alba Court convicted Virgil Valentin Hanţiu, county councilor chosen in last year's poll on PSD lists in Alba county and charged for fraud with European funds.
“Admits the agreement to recognize the guilt concluded by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice – National Anticorruption Directorate – Alba Iulia Territorial Service with the defendant Hanţiu Virgil Valentin for committing the offenses of illegally obtaining funds in continuous form (3 material acts), for false form (in the form) Continued (7 material acts) ”, is the solution pronounced by the Alba Court.
The court of court established a resulting sentence of one year and 10 months in prison, to which is added the penalty of the fine of 8,000 lei, representing 160 days – fine, suspending the execution of the sentence.
In addition, the court ordered Virgil Hanţiu's prohibition to be elected in public authorities or in any other public functions and the right to hold a position that involves the exercise of state authority or a management position within a legal person of public law.
After the criminal investigation that was concerned, Virgil Hanţiu resigned from the Alba County Council.
According to journalists from Ziarulunirea.ro, between 2022-2024, in the context of approving a project to support investments for the establishment of milk collection and processing centers in the mountain area, the counselor, as administrator of SC Lactmont SRL, used false documents obtained by creating a commercial and financial circuit, which had to obtain a fictional financial unfair for the total amount of 950,000 lei.
He and another administrator of the company made a request for financing under the investment program carried out through the National Mountain area and, after its approval, the acquisition procedures established by the business plan were carried out in order to implement the project. The maximum eligible total value of the project allowed for this type of investment was 1,900,000 lei, of which 50% represent state aid and 50% represent the beneficiary's own contribution. Therefore, in order to receive the amount of 950,000 lei, SC Lactmont SRL had to prove that it had purchased goods of 1,900,000 lei excluding VAT. In order to obtain the money, the administrators of the company created a fictional financial circuit, submitting documents that falsely attests that they had made the eligible expenses.
