Gheorghe Stefanescu
Encyclopedia
Gheorghe Ştefănescu Romania
n businessman, was at the centre of one of the largest corruption scandals during the Communist period
.
The administrator of a Bucharest
liquor store on Calea Griviţei
, near Basarab Bridge, from 1971 to 1978 he headed a network that profited from the alteration of wine. At Coteşti
vineyards, the director would claim poor production due to "natural disasters", thus leaving a secret surplus. These undeclared wines were then mixed (high quality with low quality), and the brew was sold at inflated prices, with the difference pocketed by Ştefănescu (nicknamed "Bachus
") and his men. In seven years, over 400,000 litres of wine received without documentation were altered. They also mixed yeast rakia
with plum ţuică
, but kept the same concentration of alcohol.
Ştefănescu was caught by chance in 1978. A Securitate
lieutenant purchased wine for his own wedding, which was then delayed. Several weeks later, the officer sampled the wine and noticed that only a watery solution with reddish dregs remained. Over 250 police and prosecutors were assigned to the case, and investigators searching Ştefănescu's house found over 18 kg of gold jewellery (worth some $
360,000) and between 2.2 and 40 million lei
in cash and checks. He also had an apartment in Bucharest, a villa at Breaza
and two Lada
cars. In addition to wine stores all over Bucharest, Bachus' network included everyone from office bosses to party
first secretaries and directors of government ministries, whom he gave money, jewellery and other bribes to have them look the other way or provide him with the required additives. Over 200 were sent to prison.
Ştefănescu was tried and sentenced to death in April 1980, being shot at Jilava
the following year and leaving a wife and son. Selling fraudulent wine (a "crime against the socialist order") earned him the death penalty; for his other crimes, treated in nine dossiers, he received only prison terms. Legend has it that, brought before dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu
, who asked him what he wished to do with all his money, Ştefănescu replied, "I wanted to overthrow the regime!" An unofficial estimate of the amount of money he cost the Romanian state puts it at $4.5 million, in 1970s dollars.
In 1984, a film called Secretul lui Bachus ("Bachus' Secret") was released based on the case, directed by Geo Saizescu and starring Ştefan Mihăilescu-Brăila.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n businessman, was at the centre of one of the largest corruption scandals during the Communist period
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
.
The administrator of a Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
liquor store on Calea Griviţei
Grivita
Griviţa is an area of Bucharest, Romania, centered on the Griviţa Railway Yards , which were and still are an important landmark within the manufacturing landscape of the city...
, near Basarab Bridge, from 1971 to 1978 he headed a network that profited from the alteration of wine. At Coteşti
Cotesti
Coteşti is a commune located in Vrancea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Budeşti, Coteşti, Goleştii de Sus and Valea Coteşti....
vineyards, the director would claim poor production due to "natural disasters", thus leaving a secret surplus. These undeclared wines were then mixed (high quality with low quality), and the brew was sold at inflated prices, with the difference pocketed by Ştefănescu (nicknamed "Bachus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
") and his men. In seven years, over 400,000 litres of wine received without documentation were altered. They also mixed yeast rakia
Rakia
Rakia is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by distillation of fermented fruit; it is a popular beverage throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger . Prepečenica is double-distilled rakia which has an alcohol content that may...
with plum ţuică
Tuica
Ţuică is a traditional Romanian spirit of somewhere in between 45%-60% alcohol by volume. It is usually made from plums.Ţuică is the official name for the drink when it is prepared only from plums...
, but kept the same concentration of alcohol.
Ştefănescu was caught by chance in 1978. A Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
lieutenant purchased wine for his own wedding, which was then delayed. Several weeks later, the officer sampled the wine and noticed that only a watery solution with reddish dregs remained. Over 250 police and prosecutors were assigned to the case, and investigators searching Ştefănescu's house found over 18 kg of gold jewellery (worth some $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
360,000) and between 2.2 and 40 million lei
Romanian leu
The leu is the currency of Romania. It is subdivided into 100 bani . The name of the currency means "lion". On 1 July 2005, Romania underwent a currency reform, switching from the previous leu to a new leu . 1 RON is equal to 10,000 ROL...
in cash and checks. He also had an apartment in Bucharest, a villa at Breaza
Breaza
Breaza is a town in Prahova County, Romania, with a population of 18,863.The town was first documented in an act of 1503, mentioning a certain trader of Breaza called "Neagoe". In 1622 the land of Breaza was divided between four boyars and in 1717, the new ruler of Wallachia, Nicolae Mavrocordat...
and two Lada
Lada
Lada is a trademark of AvtoVAZ, a Russian car manufacturer in Tolyatti, Samara Oblast. All AvtoVAZ vehicles are currently sold under the Lada brand, though this was not always so; Lada was originally AvtoVAZ's export brand for models it sold under the Zhiguli name in the domestic Soviet market...
cars. In addition to wine stores all over Bucharest, Bachus' network included everyone from office bosses to party
Romanian Communist Party
The Romanian Communist Party was a communist political party in Romania. Successor to the Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to communist revolution and the disestablishment of Greater Romania. The PCR was a minor and illegal grouping for much of the...
first secretaries and directors of government ministries, whom he gave money, jewellery and other bribes to have them look the other way or provide him with the required additives. Over 200 were sent to prison.
Ştefănescu was tried and sentenced to death in April 1980, being shot at Jilava
Jilava
Jilava is a commune in Ilfov county, Romania, near Bucharest. It is composed of a single village, Jilava.The name derives from a Romanian word of Slavic origin meaning "humid place". Jilava was the location of a fort built by King Carol I of Romania, as part of the capital's defense system...
the following year and leaving a wife and son. Selling fraudulent wine (a "crime against the socialist order") earned him the death penalty; for his other crimes, treated in nine dossiers, he received only prison terms. Legend has it that, brought before dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
, who asked him what he wished to do with all his money, Ştefănescu replied, "I wanted to overthrow the regime!" An unofficial estimate of the amount of money he cost the Romanian state puts it at $4.5 million, in 1970s dollars.
In 1984, a film called Secretul lui Bachus ("Bachus' Secret") was released based on the case, directed by Geo Saizescu and starring Ştefan Mihăilescu-Brăila.