The Association for the Prevention and Combating of Economic Crime and Corruption, together with a number of persons who paid for the construction of attic-like apartments, said the money for dwellings disappeared and the people remained without homes. According to activist Andrei Donica, a couple protected by Deputy Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Vladimir Cebotari, who is related to them, are behind this swindle.

In a news conference at IPN, Andrei Donica said that more than 100 people in 2011 invested money in the construction of attic-like apartments at three addresses. The apartments were to be built by a company managed by TV presenter Andrei Tabuica and his wife Mariana. A large part of the people took out loans, but didn’t see their apartments ready.

The people made effort to obtain either the money or apartments, but, when the court became involved, it became known that there was only 2,000 lei in the company’s accounts. It’s not known where the other money is.

Andrei Donica said that according to his information, the Prosecutor General’s Office refuses to take legal action over swindle, arguing that it does not have evidence so as to give the Tabuica family time to leave the country.

“Andrei Tabuica lost his job at the TV channel. He has problems with a number of companies, especially insurance ones. He risks being tried. We possess information that he is preparing to leave the country,” said the leader of the Association for the Prevention and Combating of Economic Crime and Corruption.

The persons who invested money in the apartments remained without it and with debts to the bank. Andrei Donica considers that this swindle involves the bank that accepted to finance the construction projects without them being started. The victims ask the authorities to clarify this case. They hope to get back their money or the apartments for which they paid.

The company that initiated the constriction of the attic-like apartments issued a communiqué saying that only 43 persons paid for the apartments, but not the entire sum. The company says it cannot execute the works because its accounts had been sequestrated. It requests to be allowed to complete the projects.