He Dug the Pit: The Secret Policeman Who Was Never Tried

He Dug the Pit: The Secret Policeman Who Was Never Tried He confessed, in a prosecutor's office, that he dug a pit in a Bucharest government compound courtyard and that three bodies went into that ground-yet no official exhumation has ever been documented. How did a man who admitted to burying victims become Romania’s most powerful secret policeman and die in 1985 with full military honors without ever being charged? In this episode, we trace the life and career of Gheorghe Pintilie-born Timofiy Bodnarenko-showing how his early training, prison connections, and Soviet ties placed him at the center of Romania’s security apparatus and asking how the system protected him despite his own confession. Person: Gheorghe Pintilie (born Timofiy Bodnarenko) Date of birth: 9 November 1902 Place of birth: Tiraspol Date of death: 1985 Location of burial: Ghencea Military Cemetery - He told a prosecutor: "My driver struck him on the head. Just one blow. I dug the pit. The two of us." - Three bodies were placed into the pit he admitted digging in the courtyard on Dorobanți Street in Bucharest. - He signed orders affecting the lives of more than 400,000 people. - He was sentenced in 1937 to twenty years after arrest by the Romanian security service, the Siguranța. - He died in 1985 and was buried with full military honors at Ghencea Military Cemetery. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].