The mayor of of Baia Mare who fled the country during a corruption trial has been arrested in Germany.
In an audacious move, Mayor Catalin Chereches, used two taxis to dodge potential trackers and a relative’s ID to slip through customs, revealed in a live Facebook video broadcast on Friday morning.
A border police officer who inspected Chereches’s documents and allowed him to leave Romania is facing disciplinary investigation. The whereabouts of Chereches, who left the country just five days before a court sentencing on bribery charges.
Before this daring escape, Chereches was embroiled in a legal case for which he sought a transfer from the Cluj Court of Appeal to an equivalent court. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) had indicted him on bribery charges in 2016.
In February 2022, the Cluj Tribunal convicted him to five years in prison for continuous bribery and imposed a four-year ban on holding public office.
Adding another layer to the drama, Chereches’ in-laws were arrested when his mother-in-law was caught intermediating a bribe for the judge expected to deliver the final sentence in his corruption case.
Prosecutors found 50,000 euros on her arrest, allegedly part of a larger 100,000 euro bribe. The judge involved had sought to recuse herself from the case, but this request was dismissed.
Chereches was detained by the Bavarian police and BKA in Augsburg, Germany. The head of border police and several other senior officials were dismissed after Chereches’ escape.
He had crossed the Romanian-Hungarian border using a relative’s passport.
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