A man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for influence peddling and fraud. Magistrates of the Chisinau Court, Centre Branch, handed down the sentence on 17 February in a criminal case brought by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) concerning the actions of several people, one of whom claimed to be a colonel in the Russian Federation Security Service. In exchange for money, they claimed to be able to intervene in several criminal cases, the PA reports.

The criminal cases were initiated in 2012 against a citizen, who in the period 2012-2017 demanded and received sums ranging from 850 to 25 000 euros, in exchange for which he claimed that he could transfer some students of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testimițeanu” from one faculty to another or could influence prosecutors to adopt a favorable decision on persons under investigation and other similar actions. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, in order to enhance his credibility, in some cases he presented himself as a colonel of the Russian Security Service.

“By the judgment of 17 February 2023, the court found the defendant guilty of committing the crime of influence peddling and swindling), for concurrence of offences, by partial accumulation of penalties, with a final sentence in the form of imprisonment for a term of 14 years, with serving the sentence in a semi-closed prison, with deprivation of the right to occupy and exercise activities related to the administration and management of money and material goods for a term of 5 years. Also, the preventive measure – pre-trial detention until the sentence is finalized – will be applied to him,” the PA announced.

The defendant was under preventive arrest and house arrest from 03 January 2018 to 03 January 2019, but is currently reported to be wanted by the authorities in Chisinau after having evaded judicial investigation.

At the same time, according to the PA, the amount of 2600 euros was ordered to be confiscated from the defendant’s account for the benefit of the state.

“By the same sentence, another defendant, who participated in an episode incriminated by the above-mentioned defendant, was found guilty of committing the offence under Article 190 para. (2) (b) and (c) of the Criminal Code and the criminal proceedings were terminated on the grounds that the statute of limitations for criminal liability had expired. On the other hand, criminal proceedings under Article 190 para. (5) of the Criminal Code was terminated on the grounds that the death of the defendant occurred, and another defendant was acquitted on the grounds that the act did not meet the elements of the crime (they participated in different episodes incriminated by the convicted person)”, the press release of the Public Prosecutor’s Office also states.

The sentence is subject to appeal to the Chisinau Court of Appeal within 15 days.