The President of the Drochia Territorial Office of a former political party, sentenced to 5 years of suspended prison for complicity in illegal financing of the party

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani, has pronounced the sentence of conviction against the President of the Drochia Territorial Office of a former political party (declared unconstitutional) for the crime of complicity in knowingly accepting financing of the political party from an organized criminal group. The court imposed a sentence of 5 years in prison, with a conditional suspension for a 3-year probationary period, as well as deprivation of the right to hold positions and exercise the activity of administration and financial management of political parties for a period of 5 years. Also, the confiscation of the amount of 8,145,419.48 lei from the defendant's account was ordered for the benefit of the state, as funds used or intended for the commission of the crime.

According to the evidence administered by the National Anti-corruption Centre, the Security and Intelligence Service and the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office, during the period July - October 2022, the defendant, acting as president of the Drochia territorial organization of a former political party, would have coordinated the activities of the organization, knowing that the respective party was financed by an organized criminal group.

Thus, during the aforementioned period, in complicity with the party leadership, including the vice presidents, the treasurer and the couriers responsible for transporting the funds, the extraneous person would have contributed to the acceptance of illicit financing, providing indications, information and resources to support the party's activities for the purpose of transporting and remunerating the persons participating in the protests organized by the party. In such circumstances, the defendant would have accepted through complicity the financing of the party from illicit sources, amounting to over 8.1 million lei, originating from the organized criminal group. This financing was used for the party's activities, with the aim of promoting its political interests and obtaining power in the state through illegal means.

Note: A person accused of committing a crime shall be presumed innocent until his guilt is established by a final court decision.