Romanian senator and former justice minister Tudor Chiuariu has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering, trading in influence, and involvement with an organized crime group involved in the illegal restitution of 43,000 hectares of forest.

Chiuariu was taken into custody on Saturday, Jan. 10, by Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), who may detain him for up to 30 days pending their investigations.

Forest restitution is the process of returning woodlands that had been nationalized by the state in the 1940s to the families of the former owners. This case relates to the return of 43,000 hectares of land in Bacau county, eastern Romania, in 2012. The court awarded the land, worth €304 million (US$359 million), to Gheorghe Paltin Sturdza. However, the DNA alleges that the land was originally part of a national park and belonged to the state. The DNA also said Senator Chiuariu agreed to use his political influence to expedite this court decision in Sturdza’s favor, in exchange for €2.5 million (US$2.95 million). Sturdza has also been named as a defendant.

On Oct. 15, DNA launched investigations into the suspected facilitators of the alleged scheme: parliamentary deputies Adam Ioan and Viorel Hrebenciuc, Senator Ilie Sarbu and Adam Craciunescu, who is director of the Romsilva National Forest of which the land was part. Senator Ilie Sarbu is the father-in-law of Prime Minister Victor Ponta. Senator Hrebenciuc resigned from Romania’s Parliament following the launch of the investigation. In a further twist on Nov. 20, Alina Bica, the chief prosecutor for organized crime, was called in for questioning in connection with the case and detained for 24 hours.

Balkan Insight reports that three million hectares of forest have been restored to their purported former owners since 1990. A recent audit by the Romanian Court of Accounts claimed that 20 percent of these so-called restorations were illegal.

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