Former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase
Romania’s highest court has sentenced former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase to two years in prison for pocketing political donations while in office. With Monday’s verdict, Nastase became the highest-ranking former official to face prison for graft in Romania.
He has the opportunity to appeal the verdict.
Nastase, 61, was found guilty of funneling 1.6 million euros ($2 million) from election campaign donations to accounts held by companies under his control in 2004. He denied any wrongdoing and said that he was being prosecuted as part of a political vendetta. He faces an additional set of corruption charges linked to a murky property deal.
Nastase served as prime minister from 2000 to 2004.
