The National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) presents the main actions carried out last week in combating and preventing corruption, as well as in the criminal assets recovery. During the reporting period, anti-corruption officers executed over 55 searches in several localities across the country as part of two criminal cases involving abuse of office and influence peddling.

Accordingly, the NAC is investigating systemic abuses at the State Enterprise "MOLDATSA", where searches targeting decision-makers uncovered non-compliant procurement, rigged tenders, and unjustified salary payments. Consequently, the Chișinău Court (Ciocana seat) ordered preventive measures against three officials holding managerial positions at S.E. "MOLDATSA": two defendants were placed under pre-trial detention for 30 days, while the third was placed under house arrest for the same period.

Also last week, criminal investigation actions aimed to uncover a scheme for rigging public tenders in the water supply and sewerage infrastructure sector—achieved through the discretionary drafting of terms of reference to favor pre-selected economic operators, causing an estimated damage of over 14.5 million lei (MDL 14,544,504.11) to external funds and the national budget. At the same time, a man from Chișinău was searched for allegedly promising a driver to get him off the hook in a criminal case for drunk driving in exchange for 6,000 euros; however, he was reported to the NAC.

The Chișinău Court (Buiucani seat) convicted two former employees of the Principal State Tax Inspectorate (IFPS) for trading in influence regarding judges from the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ). They received fines of 125,000 lei each and were prohibited from holding public offices for 3 years.

During the reference period, criminal investigation officers reported the initiation of 10 new criminal cases and submitted 4 cases for resolution. Currently, seven individuals are held in the NAC detention centre, while twelve other persons accused in cases managed by the NAC are placed under pre-trial detention in penitentiaries.

The Criminal Assets Recovery Agency (CARA) seized assets worth over 3.3 million lei and took over 104 000 lei into administration. Other previously applied seizures, valued at over 2.4 million lei, were confirmed by the courts. Furthermore, freezing orders were issued for 6 cryptocurrencies with a total value of over 1.3 million lei.

In the area of corruption prevention, the NAC submitted 25 expert reports and 3 opinions on draft normative acts to the authors. Additionally, 107 integrity records were issued, 3 operational analyses and 1 strategic analysis were conducted, and 260 people participated in anti-corruption training sessions. The National Anti-corruption Line received 95 calls, and 1,472 documents were registered in the institution's Chancellery office.

The Chișinău Court, Buiucani headquarters, has handed down a guilty verdict against two former employees of the Principal State Tax Inspectorate (IFPS), who were found guilty of committing the offense of influence peddling.

The court imposed a fine of 125,000 lei on each defendant, along with a complementary penalty prohibiting them from holding public office for a term of 3 years.

Additionally, the court ordered the joint recovery (in solidum) of 22,000 lei from the defendants, representing money derived from the commission of the crime.

According to evidence gathered by the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) jointly with the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (APO), in the summer and autumn of 2016, the two defendants, one working as a chief inspector of the Internal Security and Anti-corruption Directorate of the IFPS, and the other as a deputy head of the Legal Assistance Directorate of the IFPS, allegedly demanded money from a former head of the Causeni State Fiscal Inspectorate, who was contesting his dismissal in court.

They allegedly claimed to have influence over certain judges of the Supreme Court of Justice and that, in exchange for the money, they could induce them to reject the appeal filed by the IFPS. This was intended to uphold the decision of the Chișinău Court of Appeal, which was favourable to the plaintiff and would have reinstated him to his position while awarding him back pay for the period of forced absence from work.

For this purpose, the defendants allegedly received an initial installment of 10,000 lei. Subsequently, they requested an additional 75,000 lei, but received only 12,000 lei.

The state prosecutor is to decide within 15 days whether to appeal the sentence to the Centre Court of Appeal.

Note: A person accused of committing an offense shall be presumed innocent as long as their guilt has not been established by a final judicial conviction.

Officers of the National Anti-Corruption Centre (NAC), under the procedural guidance of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (AP), are conducting 25 searches today as part of a criminal case regarding the abuse of power. The actions target decision-makers from the State Enterprise "MOLDATSA".

According to the case materials, between 2024 and the present, the suspects, acting contrary to their official duties in their personal interest and the interest of third parties, allegedly committed serious breaches in the management of the enterprise, causing damage on a particularly large scale.

Systemic violations were identified regarding the management of assets as well as human and financial resources. These include non-compliance with public procurement procedures, the discretionary filling of vacant positions through fictitious competitions, the unjustified granting of bonuses and salary increments, improper dual employment, and the organization of unjustified training sessions, leading to unwarranted expenditures from the enterprise's budget.

As part of the criminal investigation, searches are being carried out at the homes and offices of the targeted individuals to gather evidence relevant to the case. Three persons have been placed in the NAC detention centre for 72 hours.

The NAC officers are carrying out actions to identify and document all individuals involved in the aforementioned illegal acts and to bring them to justice. Under the law, every person shall be presumed innocent until a final and irrevocable judicial decision is rendered.
 

Officers from the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC), together with prosecutors from the Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office (APO), are conducting approximately 30 searches today in a case involving abuse of office and the fraudulent obtaining of means from foreign funds. The actions target several economic operators and public officials.

According to the case materials, starting in 2020, the representative of a company specializing in the design of water supply and sewerage systems allegedly created a corruption scheme through which certain companies were favored in public tenders funded by foreign sources.

Specifically, in the technical documentation and tender specifications for public procurement, the technical requirements were formulated to correspond exclusively to the products of a specific supplier. These actions were allegedly coordinated in advance so that the contracts financed from external funds were won by pre-established companies. As a result, the contracting authorities allegedly procured materials and equipment at prices higher than those that could have been obtained in real competition.

The national budget and foreign funds intended for infrastructure projects in the water supply and sewerage sector were allegedly harmed on a particularly large scale. Preliminary damages are estimated at 14,544,504.11 lei.

As part of the criminal investigation, approximately 30 searches are being conducted in several localities across the country to establish all circumstances of the case and identify all involved individuals. Three persons have been detained for 72 hours and placed in the NAC detention centre, while seven others have been formally recognized as suspects and are under investigation while remaining at liberty. Investigations are ongoing.

We remind that every person shall be presumed innocent until a final and irrevocable court decision is rendered.
 

A man from Chisinau is being investigated by the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC), jointly with prosecutors from the Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office (APO), in a case of influence peddling. He allegedly promised another man that he could help him get rid of a criminal case opened for drunk driving, in exchange for illicit financial means.

According to the case materials, the suspect allegedly claimed that he had influence over persons of public dignity in a court of law who were to examine the criminal case of the informant and that he could determine them to issue an acquittal decision. For the resolution of the case, the man allegedly demanded and received 6,000 euros.

Following the searches carried out at the suspect's residence, important materials for the criminal case were seized. The man is being investigated at large.

The NAC officers are carrying out actions to identify and document all persons involved in the aforementioned illegal acts and to hold them criminally liable, in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Every person shall be presumed innocent until a final court decision of conviction is issued.