Moldovan oligarch extradited to face charges over $1bn fraud

Trial of erstwhile governmental kingmaker Vladimir Plahotniuc comes astatine a delicate time, arsenic elections attack and authorities pass of Russian meddling.

Moldova’s astir notorious fugitive businessman, Vladimir Plahotniuc, has been extradited from Greece to look proceedings implicit the country’s biggest fiscal scandal, AFP and section media reported.

The 59-year-old oligarch, accused of orchestrating the disappearance of $1bn from Moldovan banks successful 2014, arrived successful Chisinau connected Thursday nether choky security. The fraud, known locally arsenic the “theft of the century,” amounted to astir 12 percent of the nation’s gross home merchandise (GDP) astatine the time.

Plahotniuc was detained successful July astatine Athens airdrome connected an Interpol reddish announcement portion attempting to question to Dubai, Greek authorities said. He had been held successful Greece for 2 months earlier being handed implicit to Moldovan officials.

Once considered the astir almighty fig successful the Democratic Party of Moldova, Plahotniuc has agelong denied wrongdoing and resisted extradition. He is expected to look successful tribunal successful Chisinau connected September 26.

Given erstwhile accusations that helium has acted successful the interests of Russia, the timing of the oligarch’s instrumentality is politically charged. Moldovans caput to the polls connected September 28 successful parliamentary elections seen arsenic a prime betwixt person ties with the European Union oregon a pivot towards Moscow.

Sanctions and Russian interference

Plahotniuc fled Moldova successful 2019 portion facing aggregate investigations, including the slope fraud case. He aboriginal lived successful the United States for respective months, wherever helium applied for asylum.

That petition was rejected, and successful January 2020, his US visa was revoked erstwhile then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused him of corruption that “severely compromised the independency of antiauthoritarian institutions successful Moldova”.

The EU, US and United Kingdom person each imposed sanctions connected Plahotniuc, citing efforts to destabilise Moldovan authorities and weaken the regularisation of law.

Moldovan authorities accidental the erstwhile tycoon indispensable present reply charges of fraud, wealth laundering and organised crime. His ineligible conflict is acceptable to predominate headlines successful a state already bracing for a profoundly divisive election.

President of Moldova Maia Sandu has warned of Russian interference successful the country’s upcoming elections (File: Getty)

Earlier this week, astatine slightest 74 people were arrested successful Moldova implicit an alleged crippled to organise “mass riots”. President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of attempting to sway the upcoming election.

The constabulary said the suspects were detained connected Monday arsenic much than 250 raids were carried retired crossed the country.

“The searches are related to a transgression lawsuit into the mentation of wide riots and destabilisation, which were coordinated from the Russian Federation done transgression elements,” constabulary said successful a statement.

Pro-Western Sandu, who has described Sunday’s ballot arsenic the “most consequential” successful the nation’s history, accused the Kremlin of pouring “hundreds of millions of euros” into the state successful an effort to sway the elections.