JUST AS THE DNA IS INDICTING HORIA SIMU IN A RETROCESSION CASE  The family of Raluca Simu has acquired Cellini and Chronotime International

In January, the parents of Raluca Simu, wife to businessman Horia Simu, have acquired, through "Remacon Project", 50% of the shares of Sodo Migliori International SRL, which owns the Cellini jewelry brand, and 50% of the shares of Chronotime International SRL, official distributor of a range of luxury watches.

Horia Simu, who during the economic boom period was considered one of the "copper barons", is being investigated by prosecutors on charges of embezzlement at Cuprom and was arrested last year, on charges of having illegally received compensations from the Romanian state, which caused a prejudice of over 55 million Euros.

On January 29th, 2016, the DNA prosecutors have announced that Horia Simu is being indicted in another retrocession criminal case, on charges of complicity to abuse in office, offering bribes and money laundering in ongoing form, after obtaining a plot of land that was overvalued by 7 million Euros.

Three days prior to the DNA announcement, more specifically on January 26th, 2016, Marian Mihart, co-founder of Cellini, who owned 50% of Sodo Migliori International SRL, has assigned all his shares to the assignee shareholder "Remacon Project", which had as its shareholders at the time Constanţa and Ion Mandache, the parents of Raluca Simu, according to the decisions of the General Shareholder Meeting.

The other shareholder of Sodo Migliori International, Alessandro Amato, has kept his shares, and he still holds 50%.

In the same general shareholder meeting, was approved the revocation of the administrator mandates of Marian Mihart and Alessandro Amato starting with January 26th, 2016, and Călin Diaconu was nominated for that position instead.

In Sodo Migliori International saw a turnover of 18.6 million lei (4.14 million Euros), debts of 6.16 million lei (1.4 million Euros) and a profit of 5948 lei (1321 Euros).

Also on the same day, Marian Mihart made his exit from Chronotime International SRL, assigning his 50% stake to the same "Remacon Project".

Alessandro Amato, also a shareholder with Chronotime International SRL with 50% of the shares, has stayed with the company.

According to the Official Gazette, in the case of Chronotime International SRL, "the assignor shareholder who made his (ed. note: Marian Mihart), states that he has no more financial claims against the company, as well as against the assignee shareholder, following the payment of the price of the sale, respectively 115,637 Euros and the fulfilling of the obligation to delete the mortgages and liens set up over the plot of land located in Mamaia, square 52, plot no. 2, county of Constanţa with a Land Registry number 229442 (Land Registry number 18608 COD 2), recorded in the Land Registry no. 229442 (old Land Registry no. 50119), city of Constanţa".

In 2014, Chronotime International had a turnover of 19.66 million lei (approximately 4.4 million Euros), debts of 7.5 millions lei (1.7 million Euros) and a net profit of 443,007 lei (approximately 98,000 Euros).

Călin Diaconu becomes administrator in this company as well.

According to the Trade Registry, Călin Diaconu is a shareholder together with Raluca Simu in Babel Communications SRL.

"Remacon Project" is a company's which has as its line of business the retail sales of watches and jewelry, in specialized stores. According to data from the website of the Ministry of Finance, in 2014 Remacon had a turnover of zero, 215,381 lei in debts and a loss of 71,041 lei.

Mandache Constanţa, the mother of Raluca Simu, is currently the sole shareholder, as Raluca Simu's father, Ion Mandache, who owned 2% of Remacon Project, retired in March this year.

At the end of 2014, Raluca Simu opened the Vionnet and Scavia luxury stores in the commercial gallery of the JW Marriott 5-star hotel in Bucharest.

At the end of April, online publication "România Curată" announced that the National Anti-Corruption Department has seized two villas in Southern France, in Saint Tropez, acquired by businessman Horia Simu Şchiopu with alleged dirty money earned from the illegal compensations awarded by the National Authority for the Restitution of Properties (ANRP). "The two buildings, a house, and a house with a plot of land, respectively, both located in Saint Tropez - France, were acquired by the suspect for 3,559,000 Euros, and 3,200,000 Euros, respectively", the DNA said in a response sent to the quoted source.

In order to implement the attachment on the territory of another state, the DNA has collaborated with the AGRASC (l'Agence de recouvrement des avoirs saisis et confisques).

Simu allegedly bought the villas in Saint Tropez with money that was illegally obtained from the ANRP. He is charged with having been paid a compensation of almost 8 million Euros after having bought the ownership rights in dispute over plot of land located in the county of Constanţa for 700,000 Euros. Simu allegedly offered a 400,000 Euros bribe to the former head of the ANRP, Crinuţa Dumitrean. In this case, Simu was denounced by Dorin Cocoş, the former husband of Elena Udrea.

Horia Simu, Adrian Andrici, Gheorghe Iaciu and Stelian Gheorghe, nicknamed Stelu, are among the biggest beneficiaries of compensations paid by the ANRP for ownership rights in dispute.