Where is the money?
A businessman, EU funds and a compressed natural gas network. We're tracing every amount, every document and every answer.
The businessman
Dumitru Becșenescu
Former Member of Parliament and chairman of the Antares group of companies
The investor
Robert Becșenescu
Founder of Populus, according to his profile on the 0 Day Capital website
Updated:
The money
€4,400,000
EU funds for the Antares CNG network, according to a 2023 article. What was built with them?
Chapter 01
Crypto Scammer
He took the money for projects and paid for hookers.
He convinced a lot of investors to put money in his projects and at the end he just stole the money!
Chapter 02
The EU money
EU funds are public money, and every euro should be traceable. Here we show what we found in the press about how the CNG network was funded.
According to Energynomics (November 2023), the CNG network received €4.4 million in EU funds and a €3 million loan from FREE.
According to New Money (April 2018), a network of nine stations was a €5.2 million investment, 85% co-financed by EU funds.
What the press says
Public articles and rulings, with the type of each claim. Allegations and opinions in the press are not proven facts. We found no court ruling, retraction or official investigation in the name of Dumitru Becșenescu.
Reported by the press
RC2, Antares Management sell 4-star hotel in Mamaia
The Zenith hotel in Mamaia was sold to the owners of Steaua de Mare Hotels & Resorts. It was previously controlled by the RC2 fund and Antares Management, a company owned by Dumitru Becșenescu, according to the article.
Opinion
Dumitru Becșenescu: CNG is the only viable solution for the transition to climate neutrality
At an energy conference, he argued for compressed natural gas as a transition fuel and presented the Antares network. The article does not independently verify the funding figures.
Reported by the press
Un fost deputat se apucă de construcția unui hotel de 11 etaje în stațiunea Mamaia
The article (in Romanian) describes an apart-hotel project linked to Mamaia Resort Hotels, based on a planning certificate dated 13 April 2021. We have not seen the certificate. The term of office it gives for his time as a deputy differs from other sources.
Reported by the press
Dumitru Becșenescu ia 1 milion de lei de la stat, ca să-și salveze afacerea din Mamaia
The article (in Romanian) reports that Mamaia Resort Hotels received 956,938 lei under the HoReCa state aid scheme. Receiving state aid does not in itself indicate wrongdoing, and the amount was not checked against an official list.
Reported by the press
De ce unul dintre cei mai bogați vâlceni e convins că gazul natural comprimat va fi carburantul auto al viitorului
A business profile (in Romanian) of the CNG project, with its obstacles and some experts' doubts. The wealth figure it gives is a press estimate.
Unproven allegation
VIDEO: Cum sunt tratați călătorii din Vâlcea de firma Antares. Imagini grăitoare!
The article (in Romanian) claims the company fails to respect passengers, the law and its contract with the county, based on statements by mayors and one hour of observation at a stop. It includes no reply from the company and mentions no sanction.
Unproven allegation
VIDEO – Antares vs. Poliția Rutieră Vâlcea. Becșenescu acuză nefondat!
At a meeting at the Prefecture, he claimed that unlicensed taxi drivers were tipped off about checks and that the head of the traffic police had intimidated Antares staff; the police chief and others disputed this. The headline's "unfounded" ("nefondat") is the paper's opinion, and the article mentions no complaint or ruling.
Documented fact
S.C. Antares Transport S.A. and S.C. Transroby S.R.L. v. Romania (just satisfaction)
The Court dismissed the companies' damages claim because their loss evaluation concerned a route outside the principal judgment. The applicants are the companies, and the name Becșenescu does not appear in the judgment.
Documented fact
S.C. Antares Transport S.A. and S.C. Transroby S.R.L. v. Romania
The Court found a violation of the companies' property rights because their transport licences were withdrawn without compensation. The applicants are the companies, and the name Becșenescu does not appear in the judgment.
Unproven allegation
Dumitru Becșenescu l-a reclamat prefectului pe șeful Vămii Vâlcea
He claimed the head of the local customs office was delaying approvals to unload LPG tankers. The article (in Romanian) does not include that official's position or the result of any check.
Litigation, unproven claims
Becșenescu vinde firma Antares Transport ca să scape de faliment
The article (in Romanian) claims, citing an unnamed source, that the company was being sold to foreign investors to avoid bankruptcy and that it kept running services after a final ruling. It presents no documents or position from him, and we found no confirmation of a sale or bankruptcy.
Unanswered questions
- How much EU funding did the Antares CNG network receive, and under which contracts?
- How many stations were built with these funds, and how many operate today?
- Are there public audit or verification reports for these funds?
- Did Populus raise money from investors? If so, how much and from whom?
Right of reply
We asked for their position on: The date and how you asked for their position
Their answer: Their answer, reported fairly, or: no reply by the publication date.
If you are named here or believe something is wrong, write to us. We publish replies and correct any proven error.
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