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Moldovan politician suspected of $600-mln money laundering scheme

It has been confirmed that the citizens of Russia and Moldova set up an international criminal group
Vladimir Plahotniuc Vadim Denisov/TASS
Vladimir Plahotniuc
© Vadim Denisov/TASS

MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. Moldovan politician Vladimir Plahotniuc has been implicated in laundering funds from Russia to the tune of more than 38 bln rubles ($564 mln), Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Irina Volk told TASS on Friday.

"It has been confirmed that citizens of Russia and Moldova set up an international criminal group with the goal of carrying out large-scale illegal foreign currency operations. The organizers of this unlawful activity were Vladimir Plahotniuc and Vyacheslav Platon, who have Russian citizenship," Volk said.

In 2013-2014, the members of this criminal gang transferred money in foreign currency from accounts of legal entities in Bank Zapadny and Russkiy Zemelny Bank to accounts belonging to non-residents in BC Moldindconbank S.A. and other foreign organizations under the pretext of selling foreign currency. "In total, more than 37 bln rubles have been transferred outside of Russia," she said.

An investigation has been launched into setting up a criminal syndicate and carrying out operations in foreign currency on transferring funds to the accounts of non-residents using fake documents.

A resident of the Moscow Region, Alexander Korkin, has been detained in connection with the case.

In late 2017, Plahotniuc, the leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, which controls the parliament, was arrested in absentia by Moscow’s Basmanny Court in connection with an attempted murder case.

Businessman Vyacheslav Platon was sentenced to 18 years in jail over embezzlement and money laundering in April 2017.