Romanian FRF investigates 'black money' transfer

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The Romanian football Federation (FRF) launched an investigation into the possible illegal transfer of a former Rapid Bucharest player. In 2003, striker Florin Bratu was transferred from Rapid Bucharest to Turkish Superliga club Galatasaray for USD 2.75 million. Romanian media had reported that US 2 million of the fee was missing.

"The FRF launched an investigation into Bratu's transfer in order to find out if there is a system in Romanian soccer to produce so-called black money via international transfers," FRF international department chief Florin Prunea told Reuters. Dinamo Bucharest reported that only USD 750,000 had reached the club's bank account. Romanian media report that USD 1 million was pocketed by agents, with the other million unaccounted for. Gheorge Popescu, one of two agents involved in the player's transfer, tried to explain the deal. "It's true that we received 1 million but the sum was for the transfer of three Romanians to Galatasaray," Popescu said.

Along with Bratu, Ovidiu Petre of National Bucharest and Gabriel Tamas from Dinamo Bucharest were also transferred to Galatasaray. Prunea said that Popescu, Dinamo Bucharest officials and former agent Ioan Becalli have been questioned. Becalli is now president of Dinamo Bucharest.