Vladimir Plahotniuc, his wife and two children have been banned from entering the United States because of significant corruption acts involving the former leader of the Democratic Party, spokesman for U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

“Today, I am designating former Moldovan official and oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc due to his involvement in significant corruption.  In his official capacity, Plahotniuc was involved in corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova.

This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94).  Under Section 7031(c), once the Secretary of State designates officials of foreign governments for their involvement, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for visas to the United States.

The law also requires the Secretary of State to either publicly or privately designate or identify such officials and their immediate family members.  In addition to Plahotniuc, I am designating his wife, Oxana Childescu; his son, Timofei Plahotniuc; and his minor child.

Today’s action sends a strong signal the United States does not tolerate corruption and stands with the people of Moldova in their fight against it. The Department will continue to use these authorities to promote accountability for corrupt actors in this region and globally,” Pompeo said in a press release posted on the U.S. State Department website. 

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted on his Twitter account a message stating that the United States is supporting Moldova in the fight against corruption and condemns the corrupt actions of Vladimir Plahotniuc, who is announced in search by Moldova’s authorities.

The U.S. Embassy in Chișinău distributed the press release, which was also accompanied by a statement from U.S. Ambassador to Moldova, Dereck J. Hogan. 

“The United States is taking corruption seriously. No one should be above the law, ” the Ambassador stated. 

Moldova announced a national and international search for oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc in October 2019. He is accused in committing the crime provided by art.243 para. (3) letter b) from Moldova’s Criminal Code – money laundering, committed in very large proportions.

The case is currently managed by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office. 

According to prosecutors, during 2013-2015, he created a criminal scheme for the purpose of transferring, acquiring, owning and using assets that he knew were illicit income. 

Prosecutors claim that with the intention of hiding these goods, Plahotniuc established, through interlocutors, several resident and non-resident companies, through which he organized the circulation of money means in very large proportions – about $18 million and €3.5 million. 

The materials of the case would demonstrate that Plahotniuc knew that  these amounts constitute illicit financial means obtained from the non-performing bank loans granted by BANCA DE ECONOMII, BC UNIBANK and BC BANCA SOCIALĂ