(Luxembourg, 27 April 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) is leading an investigation into suspected corruption and procurement fraud related to the acquisition of medical equipment, with searches carried out in Bucharest, Bra?ov and Mure? last week.
The investigation concerns a public procurement procedure for medical equipment worth approximately €1.5 million, conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Based on the evidence, the tender specifications were allegedly tailored to favour a specific company, which ultimately won the contract.
It is suspected that representatives of the company offered bribes to public officials of the Bra?ov County Emergency Hospital, in exchange for ensuring that the procurement procedure was arranged in their favour. In addition, civil servants involved in the procurement process are believed to have…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.
