Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc sentenced to 19 years in prison over $1bn fraud

Published on 22/04/2026 - 14:27 GMT+2

A tribunal successful Moldova sentenced oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc to 19 years successful situation connected Wednesday successful a lawsuit linked to the disappearance of $1 cardinal (€850 million) from the country’s banking system.

A erstwhile businessman, lawmaker and kingpin successful the Democratic Party of Moldova, Plahotniuc fled Moldova successful 2019, arsenic helium faced a bid of corruption charges.

That included complicity successful the strategy that led to wealth disappearing from Moldovan banks successful 2014, which astatine the clip was equivalent to astir one-eighth of the country's GDP.

He was extradited from Greece past year, aft being arrested astatine Athens airdrome nether an Interpol planetary alert.

A Chișinău justice announced the ruling connected Wednesday.

The tribunal besides ordered the seizure of immoderate $60 cardinal (€51 million) from Plahotniuc's accounts, said authoritative Alexandru Cernei aft the sentencing.

Plahotniuc, 60, was not contiguous successful tribunal connected Wednesday.

He had antecedently dismissed the charges, calling his proceedings "political" and "flawed from the outset."

His lawyer Lucian Rogac said helium would entreaty the decision, deeming it "clearly illegal."

"The full process was conducted successful a tremendous rush, with galore violations of the defendant's rights," Rogac said.

After Plahotniuc's instrumentality to the country, Moldovan prosecutors had demanded 25 years successful jail, the maximum provided by law, successful a lawsuit linked to the disappearance of wealth from 3 banks successful 2014.

They accused Plahotniuc of forming and starring a transgression organisation, fraud and wealth laundering connected a peculiarly ample scale.

The influential businessman and person was added to a US State Department sanctions database successful 2022 for alleged corruption.

The charges included controlling the country's instrumentality enforcement to people governmental and concern rivals and meddling successful Moldova’s elections.

He was added to a UK sanctions database successful 2022 and barred from entering the country. His assets were frozen successful Britain and its overseas territories.

Plahotniuc was accused of engagement successful pro-Russian governmental campaigns and efforts to derail Moldova's pro-EU course.

Additional sources • AP, AFP