"The investigation found Plahotniuc received more than $43 million from companies controlled by another oligarch, Ilan Shor, who had previously fled to Russia and was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison."
"Prosecutors sought the maximum sentence for Plahotniuc, who is currently being held in a pretrial detention center in Chisinau, of up to 25 years in prison."
"In his final statement to the court on March 25, Plahotniuc claimed the case contained no evidence of an organized criminal group, adding Shor did not need his help to take control of the financial institutions Banca Sociala and Unibank."
"In 2020, his US visa was revoked after then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Plahotniuc's 'corrupt actions undermined the rule.'"
Vladimir Plahotniuc has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for his role in a bank fraud case known as 'the theft of the century.' The Buiucani Court found him guilty of bank fraud, organizing a criminal group, and money laundering. The case involves the disappearance of approximately $1 billion from Moldovan banks in 2014. Plahotniuc has denied wrongdoing, claiming the case is politically motivated. His lawyer plans to appeal the ruling, citing violations of the defendant's rights during the trial.
Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
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