The Chechen arms-trafficking brothers Mutaliev, with connections in Romania and the Republic of Moldova lost a plane in Angola in 1997. The aircraft, a Soviet-made AN 72 cargo belonging to the Renan lines in Moldova, but which flew for the Congo-based Pelikan Air, was forced to land and the crew were imprisoned by the Angolan army.By: Stefan Candea, Sorin Ozon

The privatization of Romania's oil industry has enriched the well-connected - and corrupt. Here's the case of Iosif Dan, a top advisor to Romanian President Ion Iliescu.Dan had accepted money from a petroleum company vying for a piece of the country's oil-privatization action. By Paul Cristian Radu