Fraud and money laundering case, documented by APO and the NAC. One administrator and three companies, sent to court

The Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (APO), jointly with the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC), has completed the criminal investigation and sent to the court for examination the criminal case in which an administrator is accused of committing the crimes of fraud and money laundering, and three companies he manages – of committing the crime of money laundering. The case was initiated in December 2020 by the NAC, and subsequently, by order of the Prosecutor General, the file was sent to the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office for investigation.

Following the joint procedural actions carried out by the APO and the NAC, it was documented that, between September and October 2020, the administrator allegedly misled a commercial company in Turkey in an international transaction regarding the sale-purchase of 40,000 tons of food wheat. Under the pretext of intermediation of the delivery, he allegedly fraudulently obtained an advance payment of 843,950 US dollars, through one of the Moldovan companies he managed.

The amount obtained was subsequently redirected and used illegally through a chain of bank transfers, currency conversions, cash withdrawals and payments to other affiliated companies, all with the aim of hiding the illicit origin of the funds – actions that constitute the elements of the crime of money laundering.

The total damage caused to the company in Turkey is estimated at over 14 million lei (the equivalent of the defrauded amount, according to the exchange rate at that time).

The accused does not admit his guilt, and the case was sent for examination on the merits to the Chisinau Court, Buiucani headquarters.
If found guilty, he risks:
- for fraud: imprisonment from 8 to 15 years, with the possibility of deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or carry out certain activities for a period of up to 5 years;
- for money laundering: imprisonment from 5 to 10 years.

The three companies involved risk fines between 650,000 and 800,000 lei or even the liquidation of the legal entity.

With a view to a possible special confiscation, the APO and the NAC have seized funds worth over 11 million lei, located on the account of one of the companies. These funds have been transferred to the administration of the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency (CARA).