The “Mihai Viteazul” National Intelligence Academy (ANIMV) brought forth claims against ten other individuals who obtained their PhDs and received the title of Doctor to the National Council for the Certification of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates (CNATDCU). These individuals are under suspicion of having plagiarized their dissertations that were submitted to the university, which is under the SRI Academy’s umbrella.
Among the ten doctors against whom the complaints were made, there is a former head of the Military Counterintelligence Directorate of the MApN, a former SPP General, a former PDL Deputy, a former Adviser to George Maior and former President of the National Authority for the Restitution of Properties.
At this moment, 40 of the 85 individuals who acquired their PhDs from the SRI Academy and who were awarded the title of doctor between 2010-2017 were brought forth to the CNATDCU on accusations of plagiarism.
This means that the percentage of dissertations in which the Ethics Commission of the SRI Academy has discovered signs of plagiarism has risen to 52.9%.
In addition, in 2017, the Commission made the decision to revoke an individual’s PhD as a result of a plagiarized dissertation and in the case of four other dissertations, which the media disclosed as having been plagiarized, the SRI has not yet issued its official stance on the matter.
To be more specific, these are the dissertations that were defended by Bogdan Licu, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania’s General Prosecutor, Gabriel Vlase, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE), Mihai Tudose, former Prime Minister of Romania, and Loredana Radu – lawyer and Gabriel Oprea’s niece.
11 of the 13 doctoral students whose work Gabriel Oprea supervised at the SRI Academy have been reported to the CNATDCU on the basis of plagiarism.
Only Florian Coldea’s thesis, about which PressOne wrote an extensive article disclosing the fact that it had disappeared from the National Library, as well as that of Prosecutor Gheorghe Muscalu, were not reported to the CNATDCU.
17 dissertations that were supervised by Gheorghe Toma were reported, out of the total of 24 that he supervised altogether. For doctoral supervisor Constantin Onișor, 14 of his 25 dissertations were reported.
Sources from the SRI Academy have told us that this is the last batch of theses that are being submitted to the CNATDCU and that the Ethics Commission investigations can now be considered completed.
Former chairman of the SIE Control Committee
The most well-known individual whose name appeared on the list of plagiarized dissertations that were reported to the CNATDCU is Romeo Raicu, former Vice-President of the PDL.
Deputy of the PD party and than later, Deputy of the PDL party during the 2000-2004 and 2004-2008 terms, Raicu was the head of the SIE Parliamentary Control Committee between 2005 and 2007.
In 1989, he was one of the main leaders of the barricade at the Intercontinental Hotel on the night of December 21 and one of the first revolutionaries who entered the PCR’s Central Committee the next day.
He became Vice-President of the National Salvation Front Council (CFSN), at which point he developed a close relationship with Petre Roman, particularly on the political level. He remained close with Roman until May of 2001 when he lost his position as head of the party in favor of Traian Basescu.
At this time, Raicu (photo) has withdrawn from the political scene.
He attained his doctoral degree in Military Sciences in 2011, with a dissertation entitled “Parliamentary Control Over the Foreign Intelligence Service”.
His doctoral supervisor was Gabriel Oprea, whose record is currently the following: 11 of the 13 theses that he supervised at the SRI Academy have been reported to the CNATDCU as a result of plagiarism claims.
The chairman of the dissertation defense panel was Gheorghe Teodoru Ștefan, former Rector of the ANIMV, and the panel members who awarded Raicu with a PhD were Teodor Frunzeti – former Rector of the National Defense University (UNAP) and current Adviser in the Department of National Security of the Presidential Administration, Mihail Vasile-Ozunu – honorary President of the National Defense College and former Secretary of State in the MApN during Gabriel Oprea’s mandate, and Gheorghe Toma – who is Secretary General of the Academy of National Security Sciences (ASSN) .
This doctoral defense commission, with the exact same individuals, also evaluated the dissertations of politicians Mihai Stanisorara and Daniel Andrei Moldoveanu, as well as those defended by Prosecutor Bogdan Licu, Judge Florica Diaconescu and lawyer Loredana Radu, although the dissertations had different topics and subjects. All were plagiarized.
Former president of the ANRP
When she enrolled in a doctoral program at the SRI Academy in 2007, Daniela Danielescu was a prosecutor and chief administrator of the Ploiesti Territorial Service of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism Offenses (DIICOT).
After getting her title of doctor IN 2010, she went straight to work in the Ministry of Justice, and a year later she was appointed Secretary of State and President of the National Authority for the Restitution of Properties (ANRP).
She then transferred to the Ministry of Defense, as head of the Office of Civil Counselors, and between 2013-2017 she worked as a Colonel Magistrate at the Military Prosecutor’s Office under the umbrella of the Military Court of Appeal of Bucharest. She retired from this position IN 2017, at the age of 49.
After her resignation, she was appointed advisor to the Minister of Transportation, Felix Stroe, and she later became a member of various Boards of Directors for strategic companies: The National Company of Bucharest Airports, CFR Telecommunications Company, The National Company of Maritime Ports Administration SA and the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority.
In 2017, her total income was 325,000 lei – from her salary, pension as well as from the Minister of Transport.
Daniela Danielescu has a Master’s degree from “Spiru Haret” University, also known as the “Diploma Factory”. She took a course at the National Defense College, and after being awarded with a doctoral degree from the SRI Academy in 2010, she enrolled in another Master’s program, also at the SRI Academy, which she completed in 2012.
Her doctoral thesis is entitled “The Implications of Globalization on Cross-Border Organized Crime Under the Conditions of European and Euro-Atlantic integration”.
Her PhD supervisor was Gheorghe Toma, a close friend of Gabriel Oprea and George Maior.
The doctoral committee members who made the decision to grant her the title of doctor are Mihai Vasile Ozunu – Honorary President of the National Defense College and former Secretary of Sate of the MApN in the Mandate of Gabriel Oprea, Sergiu Medar – former Presidential Adviser, and Constantin Onișor, former professor at the SRI Academy, currently the Secretary General of the Romanian Neamul Party.
The chairman of the doctoral defense committee was Gheorghe Teodoru Ștefan, former Rector of the ANIMV.
The CFR-ian
For a few months last year, Dan Marcel Bărbuț held the position of Director of the Romanian Railway Safety Authority (ASFR). Previously, he had run the Romanian Railway Licensing Body.
His PhD dissertation, entitled “Energy Strategy in the Context of Modern Security”, was publicly defended in 2011.
A year later, Bărbuț published his work, with the same title, at the Top Form Publishing House.
His doctoral supervisor was Constantin Onișor, former professor at the SRI Academy, currently tje General Secretary of the Romanian Neamul Party.
The chair of the support committee was Gheorghe Toma, and the members of the PhD defense committee who decided to award him a doctoral degree were Cristian Barna, currently a professor at the SRI Academy, Marius Hanganu and Florin Răpan, both professors at the National Defense University.
Since 2011, the Education Law has prohibited that any two members of the PhD defense committee be employed at the same university. This law was overlooked.
George Maior’s Former Chief of Staff
Flaviu George Predescu was firstly George Maior’s Chief of Staff when Maior served as PSD senator.
After Maior became director of the SRI, Predescu followed in his footsteps and was given a position as councillor.
Predescu presents himself as a poet and an essayist. On his personal page, located on the Alba-Hunedoara Branch of the Writers’ Union website, he states that he has a Master’s degree in Political Science, obtained at the “Ovidiu Șincai” Social-Democratic Institute in Bucharest.
In 2016, Predescu launched his book at the Gaudeamus International Fair, entitled “GE Software”, which he dedicated to George Maior.
He also says that between 2007 and 2011, he took an “in-depth specialized course in the field of National Security” at the SRI Academy and at the National Defense University.
The “in-depth courses” are, in fact, the doctoral studies he completed. He publicly defended his thesis and in 2011, he obtained his doctoral degree from the SRI Academy.
His doctoral supervisor was Constantin Onișor, and the title of his thesis was “Strategic Communication – an Essential Factor in Achieving National Security Objectives”.
The chairman of the PhD defense committee was Gheorghe Teodoru Ștefan, former Rector of ANIMV. Mihai Vasile Ozunu – Honorary President of the National Defense College and former Scretary of State of the MApN during Gabriel Oprea’s mandate, Gheorghe Toma – General Secretary of the Academy of National Security Sciences (ASSN), and Ion Ivan, former Rector of the SRI Academy were the three members of the doctoral defense committee who made the decision to award the him with a PhD.
Former Chief of Military Counterintelligence
Another Doctor at the ANIMV who was charged with plagiarism is General Ion Ungureanu, former head of the Department of Counterintelligence and Military Security of the Ministry of Defense. He was fired in 2009 after information was leaked regarding the fact that he had stolen weapons from a military depot in Ciorogârla.
Afterwards, he took on other management positions in the Military Intelligence Services and in the General Staff of the Army.
He was placed in the reserves in September 2016, from the position of commander of the Ground Operational Component and deputy chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces, with the rank of Lieutenant General.
In 2006, Ion Ungureanu graduated from the SRI Academy’s National Intelligence College, and a year later, UNAP’s National Defense College.
He obtained a doctoral degree in 2011, after which he signed all the documents as General-Lieutenant, Dr. Ion Ungureanu.
His PhD supervisor was Gheorghe Toma.
His doctoral thesis has a pompous title: “Transformation and Operationalization of Military Counterintelligence Structures in Order to Ensure Interoperability with Similar and Allied Structures”.
The doctoral defense committee who can together to hear evaluate his defense was charged by Gheorghe Teodoru Ștefan, former Rector of ANIMV, and the three panel members who made the decision to award with the title of Doctor were Constantin Onișor – former professor at the SRI Academy, currently General Secretary of the Romanian Neamul Party, Teodor Frunzeti – former Rector of UNAP and current Adviser in the Department of National Security of the Presidential Administration, and Lucian Stăncilă – professor at UNAP.
The Boss of Braila’s Marine Port
Vlăduț Brînză has been a captain and the boss at of the Brăila Marine Port for over 10 years. He publicly defended his PhD in 2013, under Constantin Onișor’s supervision.
His dissertation is entitled “A Study on the Danube River’s Strategic Value from the Perspective of European security”.
Gheorghe Teodoru Ștefan, former Rector of ANIMV chaired the defense panel committee. The panel members included Gheorghe Toma, professor at ANIMV, Dan Victor Cavaropol, professor at the Police Academy, and Ion Mitulețu, professor at UNAP.
The Boss of Retail
Delia Nica worked at the Metro Cash and Carry, and in 2008 became the Executive Director of the Association of Large Commercial Networks of Romania (AMRCR).
She resigned from her position in 2016, after she was filmed hitting an activist with her purse as well as throwing insults during an event organized by the Ministry of Environment.
Before pursuing doctoral studies at the SRI Academy, Delia Nica obtained a Master’s degree at this Institution.
Her PhD supervisor was Constantin Onișor.
The doctoral thesis, which was entitled “Study on International Events and Global Security in the First Decades of the 21st Century”, was publicly defended in 2013.
The chairman of the PhD defense committee was Gheorghe Toma, former professor at the SRI Academy, and the three PhD defense panel members were Sorin Pânzariu, professor at UNAP, Țuțu Pișleag, professor at Hyperion University, and Constantin Romanoschi, professor at the SRI Academy.
General in the SPP
General Costin Nedelea has been an employee of the Security and Protection Service (SPP in Romanian) since 2000, when, at that time, he onlythe rank of colonel.
He previously worked in the SRI, where he was General Ionel Marin’s (former Deputy Director of the SRI) Chief of Staff, and within the Office for the Defense of the State Secret Services.
In the SPP, he was promoted to the rank of General and became the head of the Intelligence unit of the Service.
Several sources identify him as a close friend of General (r) Florian Coldea.
General Nedelea obtained his doctoral degree from the SRI Academy in 2013, under the supervision of Gheorghe Toma. In addition, Toma worked in the SPP before being hired as a professor by the SRI Academy.
The title of Nedelea’s doctoral dissertation would have been more appropriate for a Spy novel as it has nothing to do with scientific research: “Confrontation in Intelligence”.
The PhD defense committee was chaired by Gheorghe Teodoru Ștefan, former Rector of the SRI Academy, and the three panel members who made the decision to award him with a doctoral degree are Mihai Bădescu, professor at the Police Academy, Constantin Degerà, former presidential Adviser, and Cristian Barna, professor at the SRI Academy
Former President of the National Housing Agency
According to his CV, Dumitru Nancu is a lecturer in the Department of Economic Sciences at the “Ovidius” University of Constanța.
In addition to his academic title, he has played several times in the administration of the PSD and USL parties during their time if office.
He was Vice-President with the rank of UNDER Secretary of State (2009-2012), then President (2012) with the rank of Secretary of State in the Agency for the Implementation of Projects and Programs for Small and Medium Enterprises within the Ministry of Economy.
Between 2013 and 2014, he was President of the National Housing Agency within the Ministry of Development, then personal Advisor to the Minister of Transport (2013). He was asp member of the Board of Directors of the National Credit Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises SA (since 2013), as well as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport.
Between 2014 and 2016, he was the General Director of the National Company of Naval Radio-communication Radionav SA.
After resigning from the position, he found himself facing a criminal charge as a result of being accused (according to Adevărul newspaper) for having acquired 22 cell phones and tablets that were new on the market – total value of 53,550.83 lei – bought with Radionav money, yet never used with in the company
Dumitru Nancu has two Master’s degrees: one that he obtained at the “Ovidius” University (2002-2004), the other at the SRI Academy (2010-2012).
In 2009 he also attended a program at the National Intelligence College within the SRI Academy.
He also holds two doctoral degrees. He obtained his first PhD in 2008, in the field of Marketing and Management, at the “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University in Iași, with a paper entitled “Studies on the Involvement of the SME Sector in the Development of Agrotourism in the Danube Delta”.
He obtained his second PhD in 2015 at the SRI Academy, with the thesis “Considerations Regarding Modern National Security. Business Environment and Foreign Investments ”.
His PhD, supervised by Constantin Onișor, has now been brought forth to the CNATDCU on the grounds of plagiarism, by the SRI Academy’s administration.
The chair of the dissertation defense committee was Ella Magdalena Ciupercă, a lecturer at the SRI Academy, and the three panel members who agreed to grant Dumitru Nancu the title of doctor were Gheorghe Toma, professor at the SRI Academy, Daniel Dumitru and Sorin Pînzariu, both professors at UNAP.
Since 2011, the Education Law has clearly forbidden that any two of the dissertation defense panel members be employed at the same university.
In 2015, four years after the adoption of the Education Law (no. 1/2011), the problem of not knowing the legal provisions regarding what the makeup of a defense committee should not be used as an excuse.
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Updated list of PhD graduates of the SRI Academy that were brought forward to the CNATDCU (by the Academy) on the basis of plagiarism
1. Neculai Onțanu – 2010, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
2. Ionel Goian – 2010, supervisor: Constantin Onișor
3. Iulian Lăzărescu – 2010, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
4. Aurelian Cezar Ţolescu – 2010, supervisor: Cristian Troncotă;
5. Gabriel Naghi – 2010, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
6. Dorina Danielescu – 2010, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
7. Florian Severin Lungu – 2010, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
8. Sorin Gabriel Cozma – 2010, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
9. Mihai Stănișoară – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
10. Adela Popescu – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
11. Vasile Toma Rus – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
12. Ioan Șandru – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
13. Romeo Raicu – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
14. Călin Radu Nae – 2011, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
15. Mihai Gogancea Vătășoiu – 2011, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
16. Romeo Oiță – 2011, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
17. Dan Marcel Bărbuț – 2011, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
18. Flaviu George Predescu – 2011, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
19. Ionel Claudiu Pasăre – 2011, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
20. Cătălin Chivu – 2011, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
21. Ionelia Valentina Morcovescu – 2011, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
22. Adriana Luminița Popa – 2011, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
23. Ion Ungureanu – 2011, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
24. Victor Adrian Vevera – 2011, supervisor: Cristian Troncotă;
25. Dumitru Dumbravă – 2012, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
26. Romică Udeanu – 2012, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
27. Ana-Maria Oana Goleanu – 2012, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
28. Vlăduț Brînză – 2013, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
29. Ana-Delia Nica – 2013, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
30. Daniel Andrei Moldoveanu – 2013, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
31. Radu Stroe – 2013, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
32. Corina Michaela Jîjîie – 2013, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
33. Marius Sticlaru – 2013, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
34. Cătălin Ștefan Ibănescu – 2013, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
35. Costin Nedelea – 2013, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
36. Florina Vevera – 2013, supervisor: Cristian Troncotă;
37. Liviu Câmapanu – 2014, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
38. Alexandru Marius Tudor – 2015, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
39. Ana Maria Tudor – 2015, supervisor: Gheorghe Toma;
40. Dumitru Nancu – 2015, supervisor: Constantin Onișor.
PhDs revoked by the CNATDCU
1. Florica Diaconescu – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea.
PhDs that were discussed in the Media upon which the SRI Academy has not yet pronounced itself
1. Bogdan Licu – 2011, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea;
2. Mihai Tudose – 2010, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
3. Gabriel Vlase – 2010, supervisor: Constantin Onișor;
4. Loredana Radu – 2010, supervisor: Gabriel Oprea.