Romanian prosecutors are investigating Calin Georgescu, the pro-Russian former frontrunner in the country’s canceled 2024 presidential election, over an alleged €1.1 million ($1.26 million) fraud scheme. Prosecutors said Georgescu and two other suspects persuaded a businessman from Buzau county to provide the money by claiming they could help secure a credit line of up to €15 million from a foreign financial institution. His home was raided early Monday, and he was brought in for questioning on allegations of fraud and setting up an organized crime group. Georgescu declined to comment and has denied wrongdoing. Romania’s election was canceled in December 2024 over suspected Russian interference, which Moscow denied, and rerun in May 2025, when pro-European centrist President Nicusor Dan won. Georgescu remains popular but was barred from running again and is already on trial in two other cases involving alleged attempts to disrupt national security and the promotion of Romania’s 1930s fascist leaders, which is illegal. The canceled election deepened divisions, weakened trust in state institutions and increased support for the far right. Prosecutors have described several criminal investigations as revealing hybrid attacks (coordinated pressure using cyber, information and other methods) intended to influence voters and weaken Romanian institutions, including cyberattacks, public events and online disinformation linked to pro-Russian propaganda channels. Moscow has denied involvement in disinformation campaigns.