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KMG International Group was surprised to learn about the action this morning by DIICOT Ploiesti anti-corruption prosecutors in connection with the greening of the historic sludge lagoons at the Vega Ploiesti refinery, part of Rompetrol Rafinare, but cooperated with the judicial authorities and provided all the necessary documents and information, the company said in a release today.
"Up until now, none of the Rompetrol Rafinare employees has been summoned to provide additional details on this project," Rompetrol Rafinare representatives said.
Anti-corruption prosecutors and judicial police officers from the Ploiesti Brigade for the Combat of Organised Crime conducted on Wednesday three home searches in Bucharest and the Constanta and Prahova counties in a case of false documents and deception involving, among others, employees of SC Rompetrol Rafinare SA.
According to a DIICOT press release, starting with 2018, several persons, including three employees of SC Rompetrol Rafinare SA, set up a crime ring with the purpose of deceiving both the Romanian state, represented by the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment, as owner of a 44.69 percent stake of Rompetrol Rafinare, and the other company shareholders.
"The investigations revealed that through false statements submitted to the Prahova Environmental Protection Agency, the members of the organized crime ring created the appearance that sludge lagoon No. 18 of the Vega Ploiesti Refinery was completely greened, and that both acid tar and contaminated soil had been dredged, whilst in reality the acid tar had already been dredged and the respective operation had been completed in 2009," the cited source states.
"Due to the suspects' signing of the contract and the addendum thereto, an aggregate amount of 10,097,575.35 lei has been paid for the removal of the acid tar which was actually no longer in the lagoon," the DIICOT said, mentioning that seven persons were
taken to the DIICOT Ploiesti headquarters for hearings.
