Fugitive Moldovan Oligarch Implicated in $1 Billion Bank Fraud Detained in Greece
Moldova's national police announced the detention of a fugitive oligarch in Greece, who is implicated in a significant bank fraud case.
CHISINAU: A fugitive Moldovan oligarch implicated in a $1 billion bank fraud and other illicit schemes was detained Tuesday in Greece, according to Moldova’s national police.
Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in 2019 as he faced a series of corruption charges, including allegations of complicity in a scheme that led to $1 billion disappearing from a Moldovan bank in 2014, equivalent to approximately an eighth of Moldova’s annual GDP at the time.
Plahotniuc has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Moldovan police stated that Interpol’s office in Athens informed them that two Moldovan citizens had been detained, including Plahotniuc, who was placed on Interpol’s international wanted list in February.
The other detainee remained unnamed.
The Greek police unit specializing in organized crime indicated that Interpol sought Plahotniuc for his alleged participation in a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering activities.
Moldova’s Ministry of Justice and Prosecutor’s Office are currently working on exchanging information to initiate extradition proceedings against Plahotniuc and the other detainee, as per a government official speaking with The Associated Press.
Plahotniuc, who is considered one of Moldova’s wealthiest individuals, relocated to the United States in June 2019 after failing to establish a government with his Democratic Party.
In 2020, the US declared him persona non grata, and his whereabouts remained unknown for several years.
In 2022, he was added to the US State Department sanctions list due to alleged corruption activities, including controlling Moldova’s law enforcement agencies to target political and business rivals and meddling in the country’s elections.
Subsequently, Plahotniuc was placed on a UK sanctions list in 2022, effectively barring him from entering the country.
His assets were frozen in the UK and its overseas territories.
Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in 2019 as he faced a series of corruption charges, including allegations of complicity in a scheme that led to $1 billion disappearing from a Moldovan bank in 2014, equivalent to approximately an eighth of Moldova’s annual GDP at the time.
Plahotniuc has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Moldovan police stated that Interpol’s office in Athens informed them that two Moldovan citizens had been detained, including Plahotniuc, who was placed on Interpol’s international wanted list in February.
The other detainee remained unnamed.
The Greek police unit specializing in organized crime indicated that Interpol sought Plahotniuc for his alleged participation in a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering activities.
Moldova’s Ministry of Justice and Prosecutor’s Office are currently working on exchanging information to initiate extradition proceedings against Plahotniuc and the other detainee, as per a government official speaking with The Associated Press.
Plahotniuc, who is considered one of Moldova’s wealthiest individuals, relocated to the United States in June 2019 after failing to establish a government with his Democratic Party.
In 2020, the US declared him persona non grata, and his whereabouts remained unknown for several years.
In 2022, he was added to the US State Department sanctions list due to alleged corruption activities, including controlling Moldova’s law enforcement agencies to target political and business rivals and meddling in the country’s elections.
Subsequently, Plahotniuc was placed on a UK sanctions list in 2022, effectively barring him from entering the country.
His assets were frozen in the UK and its overseas territories.
