REAKING: Harvard manager detained in Romania on corruption charges January 23, 2014 Full press release to come; for now, please see this email we sent to our supporters this morning: Yesterday, Romanian authorities detained Dragoș Secu, director of 100%-owned Harvard timber company Scolopax, for accepting multi-million dollar bribes and luxury gifts to illegally acquire land on Harvard’s behalf. Dragoș Lipan-Secu, former managing director of Scolopax, with his wife Mariana . Image via voceatransilvaniei.ro/ Dragoș Lipan-Secu, former managing director of Scolopax, with his wife Mariana . Image via voceatransilvaniei.ro/ This is foreign direct investment at its worst. It’s part of an alarming pattern at Harvard Management Company. Yesterday was the third time in recent months that a company owned by Phemus Corporation, a Harvard investment fund, was implicated in an investment scandal. Last year, a Chilean judge found Harvard guilty of illegally cutting protected forests. In October, student field research exposed environmentally destructive practices by Harvard’s timber companies in northern Argentina. It doesn’t have to be this way. The RI@H Coalition has been calling on Harvard President Drew Faust to implement responsible ownership policies for more than eight months. It’s a decision you or I could make in a minute: these policies would require Harvard companies to uphold Harvard values. Yesterday’s news from Romania made one thing clear: We need to make our call even louder. Will you join us in asking President Faust to require Harvard companies to uphold Harvard values? Yes, I will click here to send an email to President Faust now. No, but I will pledge my support for the responsible ownership campaign. When President Faust lets Harvard investment managers pursue profits at any cost, she does not want the Harvard community to find out. By taking action, you’re helping us call her bluff. responsibleharvard/2014/01/23/breaking-harvard-manager-detained-in-romania-on-corruption-charges/ Harvard linked to corruption in Romania Article #1: Romanian citizen buying land for a Harvard University investment fund was arrested in Oradea for accepting one million euros in bribes Date: January 22, 2014 - Translated by Lucia Padure URL: ebihoreanul.ro/stiri/ultima-or-31-1/un-botosanean-prin-intermediul-caruia-universitatea-harvard-cumpara-terenuri-in-romania-arestat-la-oradea-pentru-o-spaga-de-1-milion-de-euro-112715.html The Bihor Tribunal issued preventive 29-day arrest warrants for Mariana and Dragos Lipan Secu from Botosani. They are under investigation by prosecutors from Oradea for taking bribes and money laundering. According to a communique released by the authorities, between 2007 and 2009 the two have taken over one million Euros from two forest land owners. Dragoş Lipan Secu, manager of the Scolopax Bran-Sohodol Company from Braşov County, purchased land at prices and under the conditions that were especially favourable to the sellers. The bribe equalled to 4.450.000 lei, in addition to the cost of a 2007 trip to Gran Canaria and a Chrysler Sebring car. Prosecutors revealed that Mariana and Dragos Lipan Secu concealed receiving the 4.450.000 lei and the car through false donation and sales contracts. 99.9% of the Scolopax SRL company belongs to the Phemus Investment Fund Corporation, which is owned by Harvard University, and is among the largest land owners in Romania, currently owning 35,000 hectares of forest and 2,000 hectares of agricultural land. Original Text: Un botoşănean care cumpăra terenuri pentru un fond al Universităţii Harvard, arestat la Oradea pentru o şpagă de 1 milion de euro Date: January 22, 2014 Tribunalul Bihor a emis, marţi seară, mandate de arestare preventive pentru 29 de zile pe numele soţilor Mariana şi Dragoş Lipan Secu (foto), din Botoşani, anchetaţi de procurorii DNA Oradea pentru luare de mită şi spălare de bani, ambele în formă continuată. Potrivit unui comunicat făcut public de Biroul de presă al DNA, în perioada 2007-2009, cei doi au luat peste 1 milion de euro de la doi denunţători, proprietari de terenuri forestiere, pentru ca Dragoş Lipan Secu, administrator delegat al societăţii comerciale Scolopax Bran – Sohodol, judeţul Braşov, să cumpere, în numele firmei, terenurile denunţătorilor, la preţurile şi în condiţiile stabilite de aceştia. Adică, în condiţii mai avantajoase pentru vânzători. Mita a constat în 4.450.000 lei plus contravaloarea unui sejur efectuat de soţii Lipan Secu în vara anului 2007 împreună cu denunţătorii în Gran Canaria şi un autoturism marca Chrysler Sebring. Din cercetările efectuate de procurori, soţii Lipan Secu au disimulat provenienţa sumei de 4.450.000 lei şi a maşinii prin încheierea unor contracte de donaţie mobiliară şi a unui contract de vânzare cumpărare. Societatea Scolopax SRL Bran-Sohodol aparţine, în proporţie de 99,9% de fondul de investiţii Phemus Corporation, deţinut de Universitatea americană Harvard, şi este în topul celor mai mari proprietari de terenuri din România, cu 35.000 de hectare de pădure şi 2000 de hectare de terenuri agricole. Article #2 Translation courtesy Google Translate pending full translation by Romanian speaker. DNA: bribe of one million euros for the acquisition of forest land. Twine: Gran Canaria stay and a luxury car by DIANA Bita on January 21, 2014 URL: romanialibera.ro/actualitate/eveniment/dna-mita-de-un-milion-de-euro-pentru-achizitii-de-terenuri-forestiere-spaga-un-sejur-gran-canaria-si-o-masina-de-lux-323660.html The administrator of a company of Brasov and his wife received a million euro bribe to buy, on behalf of managed forest land. Mita consisted of a stay in Gran Canaria and a car Chrysler Sebring, according to the National Anticorruption prosecutors. Dragos Lipan Secu, managing director of the company SC Scolopax SRL Bran – Simon, Brasov County, is being investigated for bribery and money laundering, both in form continued. His wife, Mariana Lipan Secu, is investigated by prosecutors for bribery and money laundering, both in repeated Ordinance implementing criminal action the prosecutors revealed the following: “During 2007 – 2009, as managing director of the company SC Scolopax SRL Bran – Simon, Braşov (society whose members are foreign legal and physical), the defendant claimed Dragos Lipan Secu two whistleblowers and, through his wife, Mariana Secu Lipan defendant received a total of £ 4,450,000, of a holiday in Gran Canaria conducted by defendants with whistleblowers in the summer of 2007 and a car Chrysler Sebring, for the SC company name Scolopax SRL Bran – Simon, Brasov county, to buy from whistleblowers forest land at prices and conditions established beforehand by Lipan Secu cute and informer “as DNA. During 2008 – 2009, defendants and Mariana Dragos Lipan Secu have concealed the true nature, source and amount of 4,450,000 lei car Chrysler Sebring, received as bribes by concluding contracts of pledge and donation of a sale purchase. The two defendants were made aware of the allegations in accordance with Art. 6 para. 3 Code of Criminal Procedure, and on 20 January 2014 and 21 January 2014 anticorruption prosecutors ordered their detention for 24 hours. The defendants were present Bihor Court ordered arrest of the two for 29 days. responsibleharvard/breaking_news_romania/
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 19:38:31 +0000