Mircea Sandu Acquitted in Buftea Case, Tribunal Rules 'Act Does Not Exist'

Mircea Sandu, the former president of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), was acquitted on August 28, 2026, by the Bucharest Tribunal on charges of money laundering and embezzlement. The charges were linked to the construction of the Buftea National Football Center. The tribunal's decision, which stated that 'the act does not exist,' concluded that the alleged criminal activities did not occur.

Sandu led the FRF from 1990 to 2014. The Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) accused him in 2017. The allegations claimed that Sandu, along with three others, formed a criminal group to misappropriate €740,000 from FRF assets. This amount was reportedly funneled through fictitious contracts related to the center's construction.

Under the leadership of Răzvan Burleanu, the FRF sought to recover damages amounting to €548,473.95 (2,324,377.76 lei). However, the Bucharest Tribunal rejected the FRF's civil action as unfounded. All three defendants were acquitted. The court unblocked all seized assets, including Sandu's villa.

A significant setback for the federation.

The tribunal's ruling is not final, and the decision can be appealed. The case, which initially saw three suspects indicted in 2020, highlighted significant concerns over alleged financial misconduct within the FRF. Despite the acquittal, the FRF's efforts to reclaim the alleged lost funds have been halted for now, leaving questions about accountability and governance unresolved as the possibility of appeal looms over both parties.