Six people arrested in Romania for treason over alleged negotiations with Russian agents to leave NATO

Six people were detained on Wednesday by Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) on charges of treason, according to a statement from the prosecution office. The six defendants are accused of negotiating with Russian agents for Romania’s withdrawal from NATO and traveling to Moscow. Prosecutors claim that the group was organized as a military structure with a general staff.

The suspects allegedly took steps to negotiate with foreign political and military entities regarding Romania’s exit from the military alliance it is part of, the removal of the current constitutional order, the dissolution of political parties, the establishment of a new government composed of organization members who would assume ministerial roles, the dismissal of all state institution employees, the adoption of a new constitution, and changes to the country’s name, flag, and anthem, according to the DIICOT statement.

Among the suspects is Radu Theodoru, a retired Romanian general, aged 101, known for his violently antisemitic publications.

The organized crime group operated under the guise of an organization and was structured in a military-style hierarchy, with leadership echelons (a general staff) and operational personnel. It was represented publicly by the main suspect in the case, a retired major general, DIICOT stated, referring to Radu Theodoru.

Theodoru, a founding member of the far-right Greater Romania Party (România Mare) in the 1990s, has published books (such as Romania as Prey) and articles denying the Holocaust in Romania and promoting antisemitic views.

Full DIICOT Statement:

On March 5, 2025, prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) – Central Structure ordered the detention of six defendants under investigation for organized crime and treason.

Evidence gathered in the case indicates that, starting in 2023, five of the defendants, along with another suspect, formed an organized criminal group with the goal of undermining Romania’s sovereignty and independence by politically subverting the country and weakening its defense capabilities. In 2024, another individual joined the group. All members allegedly carried out continuous, deliberate, public, or covert actions to achieve their objective.

Furthermore, members of the criminal group allegedly made repeated contact with agents of a foreign power, both within Romania and in the Russian Federation.

The group functioned under the cover of an organization and was structured in a military-like hierarchy, with leadership echelons (a general staff) and operational personnel. It was publicly represented by the primary suspect in the case, a retired major general.

Investigations revealed that members of the organized crime group recruited supporters through online platforms and published video materials, including messages addressed to Romanian state authorities and national and international organizations.

Additionally, the defendants reportedly engaged in negotiations with foreign political and military actors regarding Romania’s withdrawal from NATO, the removal of the current constitutional order, the dissolution of political parties, the formation of a new government consisting of organization members who would assume ministerial positions, the dismissal of all state employees, the adoption of a new constitution, and changes to the country’s name, flag, and anthem.

Moreover, in January 2025, two of the defendants allegedly traveled to Moscow, where they contacted individuals willing to support their organization’s efforts to seize power in Romania.

On March 5, 2025, eight home search warrants were executed in Bucharest, Ilfov, Giurgiu, and Maramureș counties, leading to the identification and seizure of multiple pieces of evidence.

Today, the Bucharest Court of Appeal is expected to review a request for pre-trial detention for four of the defendants, while two others may be placed under house arrest.

The investigation into the primary suspect continues, but no preventive measures have been imposed.

The judicial activities were carried out in collaboration with officers from the Organized Crime Investigation Directorate, with support from the Counterintelligence and Military Security Directorate (part of Romania’s Defense Intelligence General Directorate), the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), and the General Directorate for Internal Protection (DGPI) within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

It is important to note that throughout the criminal proceedings, the individuals under investigation are entitled to the legal rights and procedural guarantees provided by the Romanian Code of Criminal Procedure, including the presumption of innocence.