{"id":3156,"date":"2020-05-11T08:53:42","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T05:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zdg.md\/en\/?p=3156"},"modified":"2021-02-15T21:15:26","modified_gmt":"2021-02-15T19:15:26","slug":"new-details-in-the-case-of-vladimir-plahotniuc-the-countrys-biggest-oligarch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zdg.md\/en\/new-details-in-the-case-of-vladimir-plahotniuc-the-countrys-biggest-oligarch\/","title":{"rendered":"New Details in the Case of Vladimir Plahotniuc, the Country\u2019s Biggest Oligarch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Interpol has not yet announced Vladimir Plahotniuc, the country\u2019s tycoon, in international search and the interim head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office, Serghei Gavajuc, ensured that the investigations in Plahotniuc\u2019s case are ongoing. In 2020, the U.S. Embassy announced that Plahotniuc is in the U.S.A. Subsequently, the authorities in Chi\u0219in\u0103u are aware of his exact location. However, the Anticorruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office claims that Plahotniuc\u2019s location remains unknown. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, deputy Lilian Carp made public several new details from Plahotniuc\u2019s case. According to the deputy, while tracing the financing means the investigation revealed two new foreign companies, which the former leader of the Democratic Party, Vladimir Plahotniuc, mentioned in his declaration of assets, completed prior to the parliamentary elections from February 2019. The representatives of the Anticorruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office confirmed the information, mentioning that this is an assumption that is now under criminal investigation. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deputy Lilian Carp, from the ACUM Bloc parliamentary faction, states that during December 17, 2016 – June 14, 2019, Plahotniuc received financial means of around \u20ac9.55 million in the form of loans, dividends, and benefit distribution from Vanguard International and Vanguard International Group, two foreign companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201eThe investigation traced the financial means that Vanguard International and Vanguard International Group, two foreign companies, and were transferred to Vladimir Plahotniuc. There are reasonable doubts that the financial means that were transferred to Plahotniuc through the two foreign companies were from Bass Systems the domestic company. Bass System and Moldtelecom, the state-owned company signed procurement contracts for machinery, software, and services in the IT sector,\u201d Lilian Carp specified. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The prosecutors did not mention that Vanguard International and Vanguard International Group have been subjects in the criminal scheme that has been investigated. <\/strong>Following Lilian Carp\u2019s statement, ZdG asked the Prosecutor\u2019s Office for an opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Prosecutor\u2019s Office representatives, Lilian Carp\u2019s statement is an assumption which is under verification in the criminal investigation. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201eThe money from the Vanguard companies\u2019 accounts, affiliated with Vladimir Plahotniuc comes from several offshore entities from Hong Kong. The offshore entities provided services to more companies from different territories. The Bass Systems company also made financial transactions with the Hong Kong companies. Subsequently, the Prosecutor\u2019s Office requested international legal support from Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore, aiming to establish the financial relations between all these companies, the legality of the transactions, and to identify the beneficiaries and the persons responsible for these actions,\u201d the Anticorruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office answered to ZdG\u2019s inquiry. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

ZdG spoke with the interim head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office, Serghei Gavajuc. He told us that Plahotniuc\u2019s case is under investigation and additionally the prosecutor\u2019s office created an investigative commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201eIn case we will have new information, we will let you know. All high profile criminal cases, all of them, will be publicized.\u201d <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Vanguard Companies Appear in the Plahotniuc\u2019s Assets Declaration Submitted Before the Parliamentary Elections <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plahotniuc mentioned in his declaration of assets, completed during the electoral campaign for the Parliamentary elections from February 24, 2019, the Vanguard International company. Plahotniuc mentioned that he obtained dividends from this company worth over \u20ac4,5 million, and almost 350,000 dollars. Plahotniuc also declared that he had invested in eight companies, amongst which were Vanguard International and Vanguard International Group companies. Plahotniuc also mentioned that he is the owner and has a 100 percent share in Vanguard International and Vanguard International Group companies, one in Abu Dhabi and the other in Apia Samoa, a small city from a Pacific Ocean island. Plahotniuc mentioned he owns shares worth around 23,000 euros and 100,000 dollars and that he is a shareholder in these two companies. However, he never wrote the date when he became involved in these businesses.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bass Systems Lawyer Denies Any Connection Between the Company and Plahotniuc <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Anticorruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office has seized three companies<\/strong> in the criminal investigation in which Plahotniuc is accused of large-scale money laundering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n