“I don't give money before because I've seen it relax.” TRANSCRIPTS from the file of real estate scams in Sector 5
Transcripts of the discussions between the real estate investors in sector 5, accused by DNA prosecutors of having bribed public officials, and the businessman who would have brokered the whole process, obtained by “Adevărul”, show how the bribery network worked. “They asked for these as drowned!”says businessman Andrei Robert Alexandru, now in pretrial detention for influence peddling and bribery.
“If he's going to say something, we'll go to Robert and see what he tells us to do!”
According to DNA, Andrei Robert Ștefan is the one who claimed and received from real estate investors the sum of 40,000 euros, to exercise his promised influence over officials from the State Construction Inspectorate, as well as over Bașca Robert Adrian, chief architect at the Sector 5 City Hall, and, through the latter, over officials from the Sector 5 City Hall and the General Directorate of the Local Police Sector 5. The purpose? To make these,“to fulfill and expedite the fulfillment of some acts that are included in their duties, namely the performance and acceptance of the reception upon completion of the works”.
At one point, it appears from the interceptions, one of the investors expresses his concern about the irregularities in the documents, but Andrei Robert Ștefan assures him that they will be overlooked and that, if necessary, he will have another discussion with the chief architect from the Sector 5 City Hall.
DLV: Look at this piece here… It was an exit like this…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: That's right!
DLV: Yes, seven square centimeters! Hey, I wanted to ask you, is that okay? I mean I wanted to…I don't know! You spoke with Răzvan, with…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Yes, I spoke to Robert…(unintelligible)…architect!
DLV: Ah, to the architect! And it's ok, I mean this thing, I don't know, we have to see him one more time to…?
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Well, I didn't know about her…Wait a minute…And…Is that the plan?
DLV: So this is the plan'…
(…)
DLV: Only in, in the plan…Normally, there's an exit…a 70 centimeter gap! We have here, the sewage part, of all things, which comes on this side and this thing was no longer necessary and he told us at the reception, yes, he agreed with what we sent him… I mean, the boy at the reception, you know he kept us… And it probably wasn't ok, but in the authorization there is an exit there!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: En authorization…What is it? Is it the door?
DLV: No, nothing! No, it's just a hole in the wall! It comes like this, we closed it and we…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Not me, I don't think…I don't think they notice!
100% DLV right?
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: If he has to say something, we go to Robert and see what he tells us to do!
DLV: Okay!
“I don't give money anymore until I see that he relaxes”
In the same conversation, the intermediary tells the real estate investor that he has not yet distributed the entire €40,000, to first make sure that things go as they wish.
LVD Haven't you given it yet?
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: I told him: “Well, let's not do it like last time!”
DLV: That is, after we get…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: “When you have signed the building!”…I said to Robert: “Keep it with you, I'm coming, I've solved it and then I'll send it down!”.
DLV: Okay! And outside…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: I don't give money before I saw him relax, you know?
The real estate investor continues to express his anxiety, but Andrei Robert Alexandru continues to assure him that everything is fine with both the chief architect and the city manager of sector 5.
DLV:: Got it! Good! Well yes, no, because I want my father to stress me, yesterday I went to Pitesti, I talked to him! It's stressing me out because we have…In March we have a payment to make for a…We bought a building in Bistrita and we have a big payment to make and we have to start next year…with the sales contracts! That's the thing!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: No…That's why not…He looked at it, saw what else you need and signed it!
DLV: And apart from…Who? Răzvan and do you need someone else? You were saying that someone…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Well Răzvan writes it…Chief architect and city manager!
DLV: And the city manager! Okay!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: The mayor doesn't sign the building one, the city manager, who is the mayor's nephew, signs!
“They asked for these as drowned!”
The discussion goes even further, and the real estate investor seems to want to make sure that the money will reach wherever it is needed, in such a way that at the reception of the building, “we will have no more problems”.
DLV: Yes, we no longer have problems with someone at the reception who didn't receive or….that look, for example, that one kept us for a week, that one doesn't even know if he received anything, he didn't…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Yes!
DLV: At last he gave it to us! Oh, ok!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: I gave it to him!
DLV: Oh, and him!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Yes, the man wanted more and I said: Well, boss, well in …(nl, obscene expression)…they took a lot! What…(nl, obscene expression)…do you want?!”…
DLV: Hmmm…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: “Ok, I told you: you could not take anything!”
DLV: Yes!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: I told him, I don't have …(unintelligible)… .
DLV: Yes, I saw that he took us with the facade, with… Yes, good! And…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Anyway, I told him: “You got some from there too!”, I said: “I didn't…”.
DLV: Hmm…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: “What did these drowning people demand, what…(nl, obscene expression)…to do to you?”
DLV: Yes, no, very, very much! Very much! Besides these three, we don't have anyone, do we?
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: No…These are all in the books…
DLV: Okay!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: That they asked me for money in…(nl, obscene expression)…
“Robert told me that he moves fast! (…)They are interested, boss, now! Because the money is mine!”
The intermediary also assures the investor that things will move quickly.
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: Robert told me it moves fast! (no. Robert Bașca, chief architect from the City Hall of Sector 5)
DLV: Răzvan, yes! Oh, Robert, sorry, sorry!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: No, Robert la su… put Răzvan! do you understand
DLV: Aaa, Robert put Răzvan! Okay! Okay, done!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: …(unintelligible)…m-he called yesterday and said: “Sir, bring me this, I'll write it, I'll sign it!”.
DLV: Mhm…Aaa, so Răzvan does it immediately, signs it and the city manager is still needed!
DLV: Probably, I think…I don't know, I think it should be on Monday, I don't know now! Or if he does it by tomorrow!
DLV: Hmm…
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: They are interested, boss, now! Because the money is mine!
DLV: Yes!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: ,,…(unintelligible)…I'm not giving you the money…''
DLV: Yes!
ANDREI ROBERT ALEXANDRU: ,,,do it with this too-enough!”
According to the anti-corruption prosecutors, Andrei Robert Alexandru would have promised the chief architect Robert Bașca the sum of 30,000 euros in order to exert his influence on the officials of the Sector 5 City Hall and the General Directorate of the Local Police Sector 5. Initially, he offered him 15,000 euros, with the second installment to be remitted after obtaining the construction attestation certificate.
