{"id":1687,"date":"2019-09-29T22:25:17","date_gmt":"2019-09-29T20:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zdg.md\/eng\/?p=1687"},"modified":"2019-09-30T15:54:06","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T13:54:06","slug":"family-members-of-moldovas-head-of-parliament-implicated-in-the-billion-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zdg.md\/en\/family-members-of-moldovas-head-of-parliament-implicated-in-the-billion-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Members of Moldova’s Head of Parliament Affiliated with Companies Investigated in the Billion Case"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The investigation of the Billion Case has revealed ties between a company benefiting from illegally obtained loans and the family of Parliamentary President Zinaida Grecean\u00eei. The company in question, Alsvit-Vin (formerly registered as Alsvit-Print), is just one of forty companies under investigation by the National Anticorruption Center in relation to the illicit acquisition of financial resources from Moldova\u2019s Banca de Economii. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2011, Alsvit-Vin benefited from a loan of around \u20ac2 million (39.3 million lei) from Banca de Economii. The company was to repay the loan by 2015, but so far the loan has not been fully repaid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although there are several documents proving the involvement of Alexei Grecean\u00eei \u2013 the husband of the President of the Parliament \u2013 in the management of the companies that contracted and benefited from the money, the National Anticorruption Center claims that Grecean\u00eei\u2019s role in contracting the 2 million euro loan from Banca de Economii has not been established. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt this stage of the investigations Alexei Greceanii’s implication in contracting the loan of around 2 million euros (39.3 million lei) from Banca de Economii was not established,\u201d<\/em> the National Anticorruption Center told ZdG, when asked about the involvement of Alexei Grecean\u00eei in the management of the company that was then Alsvit-Print. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe loan was contracted on March 4, 2011. Alexei Grecean\u00eei became co-founder of Alsvit-Vin on April 7, 2011, for a period of 3 months. On July 22, 2011, he resigned as founder,”<\/em> the National Anticorruption Center explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, according to the Anticorruption Center, Grecean\u00eei was not involved in contracting the loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The credit has not been refunded in full so far<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the last few years, more information and accusations emerged regarding the involvement of the Grecean\u00eei family in Banca de Economii fraud. The topic was picked up once again after Zinaida Grecean\u00eei became President of the Parliament. Meanwhile, Ruslan Flocea, a former counselor of hers and of Moldova\u2019s President Igor Dodon, became director at the National Anticorruption Center \u2013 the institution authorized by law to investigate these crimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When ZdG asked the National Anticorruption Center if there is a case in operation investigating the circumstances of the credit obtained by Alsvit-Print from Banca de Economii, as well as the potential role of the Grecean\u00eei family in the transaction, the institution admitted that it has two criminal cases under its management that are investigating the actions of the company affiliated with the Grecean\u00eei family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe National Anticorruption Center criminal prosecution body is investigating a complex criminal case, started in November 2018, targeting over 40 companies suspected of illicit acquisition of financial means from Banca de Economii,\u201d <\/em> the National Anticorruption Center said. \u201cThese include the company Alsvit-Vin, formerly registered as Alsvit-Print, which, in 2011, benefited from a loan of around 2 million euros (39.3 million lei). The money had been offered for the purpose of capital investments, and goods amounting to around 2.1 million euros (41.25 million lei) were pledged.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The institution claims that although the payment for the loan was due in 2015, so far, it has not been fully repaid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zinaida and Alexei Grecean\u00eei<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A. Grecean\u00eei becomes co-founder of Alsvit-Vin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe preliminary conclusions are based on the following data: the loan from Banca de Economii was contracted on March 4, 2011. Alexei Grecean\u00eei became a co-founder of Alsvit-Print (currently Alsvit-Vin) on April 7, 2011 for a period of 3 months. On July 22, 2011, Alexei Grecean\u00eei resigned as founder,\u201d <\/em> the National Anticorruption Center explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since May 3, 2019, the National Anticorruption Center has also been managing a second criminal case against Alsvit-Print. In addition to the investigation on the illicit acquisition of financial means from Banca de Economii, the 40 companies (Alsvit-Print included) are now being investigated for money laundering as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In view of the fact that the criminal prosecution is in the preliminary stage, the National Anticorruption Center criminal prosecution body requested that the Office for Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering, as well as the National Anticorruption Center analytical directorate carry out a detailed analysis of all the transactions and the damages caused to the banking entities and to establish the actual beneficiaries of the contracted money, \u201d<\/em> the National Anticorruption Center said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National Anticorruption Center<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How Alsvit-Print received the credit from Banca de Economii<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alsvit-Print was registered in September 2002. Then, on March 4, 2011, the company received a credit worth around 2 million euros (39.3 million lei) from Banca de Economii. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the contract, which was previously made public, the credit was for a period of four years and was to be repaid by March 2015. The money was granted for capital investments, and most of it \u2013 around 1.8 million euros (35.5 million lei) \u2013 was used to purchase a 308,000 square meter construction in the village of Coju\u0219na. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The village of Coju\u0219na, in the Str\u0103\u0219eni district of Moldova, is known for the Coju\u0219na Wine Factory \u2013 an enterprise which also took several credits from Banca de Economii in 2007-2008. The company later went into insolvency \u2013 and then bankruptcy \u2013 and the bank exercised its right of pledge and took possession of all the Coju\u0219na Wine Factory\u2019s goods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time Alsvit-Print signed its contract with Banca de Economii in 2011, the company also purchased a vineyard plantation, two real estate properties in Coju\u0219na, a 38.5 square meter property in Ch\u0219in\u0103u and two cars, including a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alsvit-Print spent an additional sum of about 195,867 euros (3.8 million lei) on the purchase of raw materials and winemaking accessories, such as bottles, packaging and labels directly from Banca de Economii. The bank had obtained these goods from the Coju\u0219na Wine Factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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