Florian Coldea, the former Deputy Director of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), is being questioned on Thursday morning at the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) headquarters. In a case where he is accused of blackmail by businessman Cătălin Hideg.

Hideg also accuses Coldea, along with his alleged "group," of trying to coerce him into selling his healthcare business to foreign investors.

"Extremely serious" charges have been made against Florian Coldea

Gândul cites judicial sources that state that the former SRI deputy must defend himself before anti-corruption prosecutors against a barrage of "very serious" charges.

"Florin Coldea faces grave accusations, and prosecutors tasked with fighting corruption will need to hear from him in great detail. "Preventive measures against him are not excluded in light of these accusations," the sources said.

According to Hideg, the Florian Coldea-led group fabricated accusations and brought legal action against him in an attempt to coerce him into selling his healthcare company to foreigners, particularly French nationals.

According to reports, their intention was to make Hideg's company into a clone of Hexipharma 2, a company that failed and was eventually acquired by the French.

Hideg recordings

"HIDEG: Toni asked Coldea, Coldea gave the OK to Dumbravă (Gen. Dumitru Dumbravă), Dumbravă received us because Neidoni sent us to Dumbravă, and Coldea was actually both of them.

Now, honestly, with all the scandal around these people, who knows on what recordings Trăilă with Dumbravă, Dumbravă with that guy... Dumbravă says in the recording, Dumbravă says that the boss is upset."

Accusations also against retired general Dumitru Dumbravă

Accusations are also directed against retired general Dumitru Dumbravă, a close associate of Florian Coldea.

It appears that he allegedly used his influence, whether real or simulated, over some magistrates, promising troubled businessmen that he could help them get off easily in exchange for sums of money.

Cătălin Hideg provided an audio recording as evidence, which was broadcast during several talk shows.

HIDEG: "But what do you think Trăilă wanted to do with them? It was like this: this guy needs to give us 200,000 at the preliminary chamber until the end. Take the money. I only gave him 100,000 because I didn't have any more. As my company was dying, I put the money into the company as much as I could to pay the salaries of 66 people. After that, I said: I don't have any more money to pay you! From that moment, Coldea went crazy! He started threatening Dumbravă and this guy to fire me and leave me on the street, saying he would put someone in front of me that he didn't want to hear anymore.

Tocaci keeps saying: Man, TC is mad at you. Now, honestly, with all the scandal with these people, who knows on what recordings Trăilă with Dumbravă, Dumbravă with that guy...

That guy is mad at you. What do you think they did? They forced the issue, hoping that the judge would listen to them and we would enter the Court of Appeal with the favorable situation they promised me," the recording states.