Horațiu Potra, who provided security for Calin Georgescu, detained for 24 hrs

Pistols and knives found in cars.

By Romania Journal Last updated Dec 9, 2024

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Horațiu Potra, former French Legion fighter and leader of Romanian mercenaries fighting in Congo, who is providing security for presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, and his close associates were stopped in traffic last night by police, according to media sources cited by G4Media, Digi 24 and Antena 3.

Horaţiu Potra was detained on Sunday evening for crimes related to the non-compliance with the weapons and ammunition regime and public incitement, the second crime being related, according to his lawyers, to a Facebook post from early December. Potra’s defense attorneys say that the file does not refer to his links with Călin Georgescu. “He is currently under arrest for 24 hours and the criminal procedure tells us that before the detention measure expires, a judicial control measure or preventive arrest may be ordered or he may be released. We have not been informed. What we have been informed is that they will see if other evidence emerges,” said lawyer Christiana Mondea from the Sibiu Bar Association on Sunday evening.

Lawyer Christiana Mondea stated that the crimes her client is accused of refer to non-compliance with the weapons and ammunition regime and public incitement, “on the grounds that he posted something at the beginning of December”.

Horaţiu Potra, a local councilor in Mediaş municipality, known as the leader of a mercenary group that operated in Africa and close to Călin Georgescu, was taken out of the Prahova County Police Inspectorate headquarters in handcuffs on Sunday evening, after several hours of questioning. Judicial sources told media that Potra’s case was taken over by the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Ploieşti Court of Appeal. During the hours he spent at the Police Station, Potra refused to give a statement and may make his first statement to the prosecutor at the end of the questioning.

According to these sources, the Potra group allegedly traveled to Bucharest with prohibited objects to disturb public order and peace. Horațiu Potra is being questioned at the Prahova IPJ.

In the cars in which Potra and his associates were, edged weapons were found: machetes, knives and axe handles, as well as two pistols and pyrotechnic materials. The cars were stopped in traffic in Otopeni, Bucharest and in localities in Dâmbovița and Prahova counties. There were approximately 20 people in the cars. 2 drivers tested positive for prohibited substances. The police are conducting more checks, but there is this suspicion that Horațiu Potra’s relatives were drugged when they were driving to Bucharest.

A pistol and several knives were found in the car in which Horațiu Potra was driving, a Mercedes, model G. Large sums of money were also found. The police opened a case for “non-compliance with the weapons and ammunition regime” and “any operations with pyrotechnic articles carried out without permission”. The group would have gone to Bucharest to cause chaos, say police sources.

Both Călin Georgescu and the leader of AUR, George Simion, incited people to go to the polls today. There was a hidden incitement to protests in Bucharest, and following those messages given by political leaders, police officers made several checks and found Horațiu Potra last night, around two o’clock. It was about several cars heading towards the Capital. Horațiu Potra, by the way, was in the Foreign Legion, was a mercenary and was seen on various occasions with people from Călin Georgescu’s entourage.

Who is Horatiu Potra?

Former French Foreign Legion fighter Horațiu Potra was detained after being stopped by police on Sunday night while heading to Bucharest, where he was preparing destabilizing actions together with 20 other people, according to the Police. They were traveling in several cars, on different routes. Bladed weapons, a pistol and pyrotechnic materials were found in the cars. They had lists of names of politicians and journalists against whom they were going to carry out intimidation actions, as reported by Digi 24 and Euronews. Potra coordinates the security services of Călin Georgescu, being his declared supporter. The former presidential candidate denied having any connection with him, however. This is not the first time that Horațiu Potra has been targeted by a police investigation.

In 2010, Horațiu Potra was indicted by DIICOT prosecutors, along with six other men, for drug trafficking and failure to comply with the weapons and ammunition regime. Potra was accused of having established a cannabis crop on the farm he owned in Mediaș, and his “lieutenants” were selling the drugs.

At the end of the trial, in 2011, Horațiu Potra was convicted only for the illegally possessed weapons, discovered during the searches. Regarding the cannabis crop, he claimed before the judges that it was planted by a Dutch citizen, to whom he had rented the farm, and when he discovered it, he set it on fire. The court believed him. DIICOT accused Potra of setting fire to the cannabis crop to erase his tracks, according to the data from the file consulted by HotNews.

After completing his activity as a fighter in the French Foreign Legion, Horațiu Potra returned to the country and, in a first phase, became the owner of a livestock farm in Mediaș. In November 2009, Potra rented the farm to a Dutch citizen, concluding a “lease contract”. During the same period, Horațiu Potra also had a restaurant in the city. According to DIICOT prosecutors, drugs were sold at the said establishment through one of the employees. In 2010, information spread in the Mediaș area that cannabis was being grown on the farm of the former French Foreign Legion fighter. The interceptions confirm that Potra’s so-called “lieutenants” were selling drugs. In the intercepted telephone conversations, cannabis was coded: “bullets”, “ammunition” or “cozonac”.

The court nevertheless sentenced Horațiu Potra to 2 years and 8 months in prison, suspended for failing to comply with the weapons and ammunition regime. During home searches in the fall of 2010, three military weapons with bullets, 149 cartridges, two grenades, and a compressed air pistol were found at his home. At the time, Horațiu Potra was not listed in the National Weapons Registry as a holder of weapons and ammunition. In court, his lawyer submitted a document stating that “Horațiu Potra is highly qualified for the possession and use of weapons.” “The defendant is an intelligent person, he entered the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at a time when few succeeded, he served in the Foreign Legion, he was a bodyguard for the prince of Qatar, and when the prince paid a visit to Romania, the defendant Potra Horațiu received the right to bear arms,” the former fighter’s lawyer pleaded in court.

Potra’s conviction became final in 2011, but six years later, on December 28, 2017, he was rehabilitated.

In 2020, Horațiu Potra was sent to court in a second case, the one in which he was accused of threatening Romgaz director Adrian Volintiru. “Hello Mr. Director, we wish you luck in business and in your political position. You forgot the rule, when you live well, you have to give something back. You don’t respect what you promise, you forgot who put you there. We’ll remind you quickly! We hope you like the forest in Bazna or Blăjel just as you like women. We’ll take a walk to familiarize yourself, there are hidden places that are hard to access! Be wise, take advantage of the pool of the neighboring Expro hotel and don’t make us travel to Transylvania because it’s bad for you and your loved ones! Good luck!”, was the SMS Potra sent to director Volintiru. Then he called him twice, warning him that he would get to him.

Frightened, the Romgaz director notified the Violent Criminal Groups Service of the Bucharest Police. The case, handled by the Prosecutor’s Office of the 1st District Court, was sent to trial in August 2020.

Horațiu Potra’s Wealth: 75 Lands, 30 Real Estates and 15 Kilograms of Gold Bars

Horaţiu Potra declared an income of over one million euros from his entrepreneurial activity, along with an impressive collection of land, real estate and gold. He owns 75 plots of land, 30 real estate and 15 kilograms of gold bars worth over 6 million lei.

In his wealth declaration, filed in 2024, Horaţiu Potra revealed a considerable fortune, which includes 75 plots of land, 30 buildings (including apartments, houses and commercial spaces), 14 bank accounts in which he has impressive amounts in various currencies and gold bars weighing 15 kilograms and worth approximately 6.15 million lei.

Potra obtained an income of 1,155,000 euros last year from his activity as an authorized individual, with the object of activity “physical training and specialized training”. He also earned 24,000 lei from his activity as a company administrator.

In addition to business, Potra is a partner in eight companies and a member of the Association of Romanians who worked in the French Legion. He is also the president of the Mediaș branch of the Patriots’ Party.

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