On Thursday, March 20, prosecutors from the Romanian General Prosecutor’s Office are carrying out 17 search operations at residences in Bucharest and various counties. These actions are aimed at influencing individuals such as Bogdan Peșchir and others. Makaveli , who supported controversial politician Călin Georgescu through online activities during the 2024 election campaign. This case includes allegations of vote-buying, with investigations aiming to uncover connections among those implicated and potential co-conspirators engaged in electoral malpractice.
Apart from the capital, law enforcement officials are carrying out searches in the counties of Brașov, Botoșani, Călărași, Dolj, Galați, Giurgiu, Maramureș, Mureș, and Timiș. In addition to Bogdan Peșchir and Makaveli, another influencer being investigated is Alin Borcan from Timiș, as reported. G4Media .
Makaveli, whose full name is Alexandru Viril Zidaru, gained prominence both politically and through his campaign of animosity towards TV channels and conventional media outlets like Antena 3 via TikTok. Additionally, he had ties with the far-right and contentious political figure Diana Sosoaca, who faced disqualification from presidential candidacy following Constitutional Court considered her unsuitable for the position of president.
Bogdan Peșchir, conversely, stands out as a prominent figure on TikTok even though he does not produce content himself. His recognition comes from his presence on the platform. massive donations He provided support to content creators, which includes backers of Călin Georgescu. In total, he funded Călin Georgescu’s 2024 campaign with more than €380,000, as reported by the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).
Peșchir collaborated with firms involved in cryptocurrencies that were owned by Gabriel Prodănescu, a dual national who moved to South Africa in 1995. In the midst of the 2024 presidential race, an enterprise based in South Africa reached out to TikTok influencers located in Romania, proposing they receive €1,000 apiece for producing promotional clips.
A probe conducted by Info Sud-Est and G4Media reveals that influencers backing Călin Georgescu’s bid received payments through TikTok to endorse the pro-Russian contender. Additionally, records released by the Ministry of Interior and SRI suggest that these same influencers were engaged in activities related to vote promotion and acquisition.
Once the documents were released to the public, these influencers separated themselves from Georgescu.
In another instance, the Prosecution Office affiliated with the High Court of Cassation and Justice charged five people with instigating violence, hate, or discrimination; making threats; glorifying those convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes; and openly supporting fascist, legionnaire, racist, or xenophobic beliefs, ideas, or teachings. These charges relate to provocative posts shared on social media by backers of Calin Georgescu following the annulment of Romania’s presidential election runoff.
radu@romania-insider.com
(Photo credit: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea )
Post a Comment