Romanian president's brother arrested, suspected of taking bribe to reduce convict's sentence
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police have arrested the brother of the Romanian president on suspicion of taking a bribe and using the president's name to promise he could get a prison sentence reduced.
The Bucharest Court late Friday approved an application from anti-corruption prosecutors to arrest Mircea Basescu for 30 days on suspicion of taking a bribe of 250,000 euros ($340,000) from the family of a well-known convict. Basescu had been detained on Thursday, but only for 24 hours.
His arrest came after a video was broadcast in which he appeared to acknowledge receiving a bribe to help reduce the sentence of Sandu Anghel, who is imprisoned for attempted murder. Mircea Basescu has denied wrongdoing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Traian Basescu has denied intervening in the case and has distanced himself from his brother.