BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s president has denied any involvement in a corruption scandal involving his brother, who was detained on suspicion of accepting bribes Thursday.
President Traian Basescu said he has not interfered with the justice system and sought to distance himself from his brother, Mircea Basescu.
The scandal erupted late Wednesday when a Romanian television channel broadcast a video where Mircea Basescu appears to acknowledge he has received a bribe to help reduce the sentence of the well-known convict Sandu Anghel.
In the recording, Mircea Basescu spoke to the son of Anghel, whose father is imprisoned for attempted murder, and said the president was aware of the case.
Mircea Basescu was detained Thursday on suspicion of accepting 250,000 euros ($338,968) to try and influence the outcome of the case. He has admitted the video is genuine but says his comments were taken out of context and denies wrongdoing.
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