Epic! A presidential election triggered by $BTC traders, the "hybrid war" of the digital age has begun on your phone

In Romania, a 36-year-old Bitcoin trader named Bogdan Pescir is facing charges that could go down in history. Prosecutors believe he used nearly $900,000 in TikTok tips to coordinate with tens of thousands of fake accounts, pushing a far-right candidate with only 1% support in polls to the top of the national news feed within a week, ultimately earning 22.9% of the vote in the first round of the 2024 presidential election.

Pescir’s TikTok ID is Bogpr, with nearly 200,000 followers, making him one of the platform’s top “tip leaders.” He enjoys sending virtual gifts—ranging from a few cents to hundreds of dollars—to streamers, which can be exchanged for cash. Through continuous spending, he unlocked rare effects like Thunder Falcon, Fire Phoenix, and Soaring Pegasus, building a huge online reputation.

Prosecutors accuse him of giving over $381,000 worth of gifts in the last 31 days before the election to more than 250 influencers promoting candidate Karing Georgescu. The government labels this as undeclared illegal campaign contributions and arrested Pescir on charges of “electronic voter bribery.”

Georgescu’s surprising comeback is almost surreal. Three weeks before the election, he had almost no mainstream media exposure. However, the hashtag #calingeorgescu received 73.2 million views on TikTok in just seven days. For a country with a population of 19 million and about 9 million TikTok users, this was unprecedented.

Three days after the election results, Romania’s Supreme Defense Council announced that the election had been compromised by foreign interference, pointing the finger at Russia. Declassified intelligence documents reveal over 85,000 cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure, including one traced back to Russia’s APT29 hacking group.

The investigation shows the online manipulation was highly organized. A Telegram group called Propagatorcg managed the propaganda materials, distributed them to volunteers, and guided them on how to edit content to deceive algorithms. Then, 25,000 previously dormant TikTok accounts were suddenly activated to mimic real user behavior, aggressively engaging with content supporting Georgescu, making him a trending topic worldwide.

Pescir’s text messages became key evidence. Influencers openly asked him for payment in exchange for support, and he responded cautiously: “I didn’t ‘bring’ anyone to do anything,” and “no plans to pay anyone.” Police found search records for keywords like “election bribery” on his computer. Prosecutors believe this tacit exchange proves his intent.

Pescir firmly denies all charges. He claims he’s just a fan of Georgescu, and his tips are personal, funded through legitimate Bitcoin transactions. His lawyer pointed out that Pescir also sent gifts to Georgescu’s opponent.

In December 2024, Romania’s Constitutional Court invalidated the election results, citing “opaque use of digital technology and artificial intelligence” and undeclared campaign funds, banning Georgescu from running in the May 2025 rerun. This unprecedented decision sparked massive protests nationwide, with thousands marching, claiming it “shattered the core of democracy.”

The rerun became a test of digital manipulation defenses. TikTok, responding to regulatory demands, doubled its Romanian moderation team, enabling suspicious content to be removed within minutes. Despite another far-right candidate with similar views having 1.3 million followers on TikTok—far surpassing his opponent’s 350,000—and leading in polls, he ultimately lost the runoff 46.4% to 53.6%.

President Nicușor Dan described the entire incident as Russia’s “hybrid warfare” against Europe. However, the core challenge lies in the evidence chain. As President Dan admits, “We know how it was carried out… but what we don’t know is who designed the entire strategy. Likewise, we have little insight into the flow of funds…”

Pescir’s case remains under investigation. He has been released and continues trading Bitcoin. This upheaval reveals a cold reality: in the digital age, influence can be bought and quantified, public opinion can be precisely manufactured through algorithms. Fake propaganda campaigns can ultimately catalyze real political forces capable of tearing societies apart. For global markets, this new form of geopolitical risk may be as destructive and uncertain as an actual war.

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