The Office of the Prosecutor General announced that Interpol has received Moldova’s request to announce the fugitive oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc in international search, but it still has to decide on the issue, hence Plahotniuc’s international search doesn’t depend on the General Prosecutor’s Office, according to the Prosecutor General. 

On January 30, the General Prosecutor’s Office received an answer that the letter requesting for the former leader of the Democratic Party to be announced in international search reached Interpol. The Prosecutor General, Alexandr Stoianoglo made the announcement. 

He claimed that the Office of the Prosecutor General only received information that the letter requesting for Plahotniuc to be announced in international search reached Interpol, this being the whole information the Office has. 

Asked when the fugitive oligarch could be announced in the international search, Stoianoglo said that this does not depend on the Office of the Prosecutor General. In this regard, he said he would continue to insist on this issue. 

About the actions taken by the Office of the Prosecutor General regarding this case, Stoianoglo said that in the near future he will have some discussions with some officials from Interpol. He will discuss the need for several documents to be presented and will seek solutions to solve the problem. 

“We have already had discussions with officials from the Interpol headquarters in Moldova, but also with other representatives from Interpol. I had some agreements and I think that in the near future concrete steps will be taken, “the Attorney General said.

On the same day on the wanted list next to the police inspectorates, the information was confirmed for ZdG by the General Police Inspectorate press officer, Nina Mereacre. 

At the same time, the General Police Inspectorate informed that Plahotniuc has another identity – Novak Vladislav Vladimir, born on December 25, 1965.

On January 13, Vladimir Plahotniuc, his wife and his two children were banned from entering the United States because of significant corruption acts involving the former leader of the Democratic Party.

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On October 28, 2019, Vladimir Plahotniuc was announced in international and interstate search. Plahotniuc is suspected of committing the offense provided by art. 243 of the Criminal Code – money laundering, in very large proportions.

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According to the prosecutors during the years 2013-2015, Vladimir Plahotniuc created a criminal scheme with the purpose of converting, transferring, acquiring, owning and using some goods that he definitely knew constituted illicit income. 

Prosecutors claim that in order to conceal the illicit nature of the goods, Plahotniuc set up – through intermediaries – several domestic and foreign 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 demonstrate that Plahotniuc was aware that the money constituted illicit financial means, obtained through non-performing bank loans from Banca De Economii, Unibank, and Banca Socială. 

The Chișinău District Court issued a 30-days arrest warrant in the name of Vladimir Plahotniuc. 

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