TONY Blair was dragged into a corruption probe last night over a huge sum he bagged to make a speech in Romania.

The globetrotting ex-Prime Minister’s eagerness to give moneyspinning talks saw him unwittingly pocket “dirty” cash, it is claimed.

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The scandal exploded as prosecutors in Bucharest grilled their own former PM Victor Ponta about £185,000, some of which was used to pay Blair to give the speech in 2012.

A local tycoon is said to have stumped up the cash in return for Ponta’s help in winning a seat in parliament.

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At the time Ponta, 43, was desperate to bolster his public image ahead of a bid to become his nation’s president.

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Both are being investigated for suspected money laundering.

Mr Blair made a speech about Europe, with his visit touted as having been organised by non-political groups. He went on to make two more trips to Romania — and also introduced Ponta to Barack Obama.

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The ex-New Labour boss has been raking in cash for speeches since leaving No10 in 2007. He is now worth an estimated £80million.

One plum deal sees his firm Tony Blair Associates paid a reported £5million a year to advise Kazakhstan’s strongman president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

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Ponta, who is accused of abusing his power as PM, wrote off a fortune Romania was owed by Kazakhstan’s state-owned oil and gas giant.

The probe is also looking at this. There is no suggestion Mr Blair was involved.

Last night a source close to the billionaire in the scandal — Sebastian Ghita, 37 — branded the inquiry a “hatchet job”.