Gigi Becali

George "Gigi" Becali (born 25 June 1958) is a Romanian businessman, writer and former politician and convict, mostly known for his ownership of the FCSB football club.

Becali joined the General Shareholders' Council of the Steaua București football team at the end of the 1990s, during the presidency of businessman Viorel Păunescu.

Step by step, he tried to eliminate other possible candidates and gather all the club's shares.

At the 2000 Romanian legislative election, Becali was a candidate of the "League of Italian Communities in Romania" for the seat in the Chamber of Deputies reserved for the Italian minority.

He received 16,266 votes (0.15%) countrywide, of which 7,677 in Ilfov County.

Nevertheless, he lost to Ileana Stana-Ionescu, who got only 2,943 votes in one constituency.

Becali contested the results, but according to Romanian election law, for national minorities, it is not the total number of votes that matters; the individual who gains the largest percentage in one constituency wins the seat reserved for that national minority.

He obtained 51% of the shares on 6 February 2003 and he bought another 15% toward the end of the year 2003.

He has led the New Generation – Christian Democrat Party (PNG-CD) since January 2004, being its candidate in the 2004 presidential election, receiving 1.77% of votes cast (184,560 votes).

On October 17, 2005, his entire fortune was impounded by the National Fiscal Authority (ANAF) for debts totaling US$11,000,000.

However, Becali sued the ANAF and won the trial, and subsequently the order of seizure was lifted.

He was however able to avoid paying the taxes by transferring the assets of Steaua to a newly formed company, AFC Steaua București, allowing the old association to go bankrupt.

In 2005, the papers wrote that he commissioned a painting inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, in which he holds the place of Jesus, while the eleven players and the coach hold the place of the disciples.

Becali denied the story, claiming that he received the painting from an admirer.

Gigi Becali was often criticized for interfering with his managers' work, frequently calling for subs at half time or deciding on the starting XI.

Becali admitted this as much, stating that the players are brought with his money, so it is his right to decide who plays and how.

The affair was investigated in 2006 by the National Anticorruption Directorate (NAD).

In 2007, it was revealed that in 1998, when Becali sent the offer to the Romanian Army, he was not the owner of the property in Ștefăneștii de Jos, buying it only after it was clear that the deal would be signed.

Also, the Army was not legally allowed to give away the Pipera plot, because it was claimed by former owners.

In July 2007, the NAD started to investigate a transaction between Becali and the daughter of Defence Minister Victor Babiuc, involving land in Pipera which was sold for US$300 per square meter.

As of 2007, Becali detains no official link to the club, as he gradually renounced his shares in favour of his nephews.

Becali announced in 2008 that he intends to open his own bank, named "Becali Bank", intended to be used "only by millionaires", with an initial investment of €30 million.

Nevertheless, the Administration Council of the National Bank of Romania rejected the plan of creation without giving a public reason.

Cotidianul notes that the National Bank can reject the creation of a new bank if they suspect that the new bank would not respect the laws or that they won't have solid and prudent investment policies.

In reply to this decision, Becali named Mugur Isărescu, the governor of the National Bank, "a buffoon, a frustrated and envious person" and announced that he intends to sue him.

Becali was a Member of the European Parliament between June 2009 and December 2012, and a Member of the Romanian Parliament from December 2012 up until his conviction in May 2013.

Becali was born in Vădeni, Brăila County, to an Aromanian family which had been deported to the Bărăgan Plain by the Communist authorities because of their associations with the pre-World War II fascist party Iron Guard.

Becali became a millionaire through an exchange of land with the Romanian Army, dubbed by the Romanian press as suspicious, as the Army did not need the land it received and the land he received in exchange was worth much more.

The deal consisted in Becali giving the Army a 21.5-hectare plot in Ștefăneștii de Jos (about 15 km from Bucharest) in exchange for a 20.9-hectare plot in Băneasa-Pipera, in Northern Bucharest.

As the real estate prices skyrocketed in the capital, he sold the land to some companies that built residential areas.

Since he was released from prison in 2015, Becali shifted towards appointing puppet managers, without experience, often times close acquaintances or former FCSB icons such as Nicolae Dica, Mirel Radoi, Vergil Andronache, Dinu Todoran and Anton Petrea, often times his main criteria being their religiousness or willingness to be "bossed around" by Becali.

One encounter, told by Becali himself, was when Dinu Todoran was considered as manager for the second team.

When Becali called him to inform him of the possibility of taking this job, Todoran replied to call him later, stating he is in church.

Becali was deeply impressed by the piousness of Todoran that he immediately appointed him manager for the first team.

Todoran himself admitted that Becali was managing the team for him, stating that it was no secret who decides the starting XI and the subs, which can be reflected by the fact that he was receiving the lowest salary of any manager in the Romanian League.

After a bad spell of form and criticism from the media for his approach, Becali sacked Todoran and decided to not involve himself in football matters anymore, hiring Edi Iordanescu, the manager who won the previous title.

Edi immediately turned the team around, and achieved a 9-game undefeated streak, including a 6–0 win over bitter rivals Dinamo Bucharest, in spite of a COVID outbreak at the club.

Becali remained silent for a few months, however he started to voice his displeasure at the quality of the game, stating that his team must always have the possession, and that a result based approach is not what interests him.

Tensions arose at the club, and ultimately Edi and Becali parted ways on 14 November 2021, after winning 8 games, drawing 2 and losing 2 and taking the team to second place.

Gigi Becali announced his intention to return to the team, appointing Pintili as caretaker since he does not have a coaching badge.