Fugitive MP Ilan Shor, who was sentenced in 2017 to prison for fraud and put on international wanted list, has hired a UK law firm to represent him in Moldovan courts, his lawyers announced at a press briefing on Tuesday, January 17.

The world-renowned English firm BCL “Solicitors” LLP, which will represent IlAN Shor on the recommendation of his lawyers, will ask for a short adjournment of proceedings to review the case materials in order to prepare the line of defence.

Șor’s case is in the process of being heard by the Court of Appeal and has been adjourned several times by his lawyers. The next hearings are scheduled for 18 and 20 January 2023.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) informs that during the trial hearing on 16 December, held at the Chisinau Court of Appeal (CA), Ilan Shor’s lawyers filed three requests for postponement of the hearing on grounds of involvement in other hearngs and health condition.

According to the PA, the state prosecutor, analysing the reasons put forward by the defenders, asked the court to impose fines on the lawyers for “unjustified absence from the hearing and informing the Lawyers’ Union about the intentional delay of the hearings”. The plaintiff also requested that the court summon the lawyer appointed by the court.

A coercive measure was imposed on Shor’s lawyers – a fine of 30 contraventional units, amounting to 1,500 lei, as well as the summons to the court-appointed lawyer, with an order that the latter be informed of the case materials until the next hearing.

In the “bank fraud” case, Shor is charged with 9 counts.

In a reply provided to ZdG in June 2022 by the PA, the Prosecutor’s Office stated that investigations have been ordered to search for Ilan Shor in the criminal case “bank fraud”, pending before the CA, both in Moldova and abroad. At the same time, extradition procedures have been initiated for him in the criminal case in question, and all the necessary documents have been forwarded by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova to the competent Israeli authorities.