Romanian citizenship forgery and bribery network

Romanian prosecutors uncovered a criminal network that facilitated fraudulent Romanian citizenship for foreign applicants through bribery and forged documentation. The scheme primarily targeted individuals from the former Soviet space, utilizing fabricated birth, marriage, and death certificates to falsely claim ancestry in the Odesa region.

Initial investigations led to the arrest of two women, Valerica Șapera and Maria Dimitriu, following a raid in Bucharest where €7,500 in cash was seized. Subsequent findings by the General Prosecutor's Office revealed the network had operated for at least 11 months and processed over 900 applications.

The operation exposed corruption within the National Authority for Citizenship, where employees allegedly accepted bribes to process falsified dossiers. Costs for the illegal services ranged from small fees for preliminary checks to as much as €15,000 for expedited processes guaranteed through influence over institutional leadership. Authorities utilized undercover operations, including a simulated applicant, to intercept illicit payments.