Former heads of Romanian police academy sent to court in investigation journalist's case

Two former top managers of the Police Academy in Bucharest have been sent tro court for instigation to blackmail in a case related to an investigative journalist who has been targeted by threats after revealing massive PhD fraud at the institution.

Adrian Iacob, former rector of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza Police Academy, and his deputy Mihail Marcoci are accused of inciting a third person to send the journalist, Emilia Sercan, threatening messages to determine her to drop her investations about plagiarism at the institution.

That person, Adrian Gheorghe Barbulescu, also an officer of the police and of the Academy at the time, sent threatening messages to Sercan, urging her to put an end to inquiries. Sercan came out in the media and issued a criminal complaint with the Police, prompting a shakeup at the top management of the Police Academy. According to prosecutors, Barbulescu has admitted guilt in the case.

Prosecutors accuse the two top managers told the Barbulescu how to act using used phones and prepaid cards and promised him protection.

Emilia Sercan has focused on cases of plagiarism among the country’s elites for years and paid special attention to the ranks of the Police Academy and related institutions.