The President of the Florești Territorial Office of a former political party, investigated by the NAC, APO and SIS, was sentenced to 3 years in prison

The Chișinău Court, Buiucani seat, pronounced the sentence of conviction regarding the president of the Florești Territorial Office of a former political party, for committing the crime of complicity in knowingly accepting financing of the political party from an organized criminal group. The defendant fully admitted his guilt, until the start of the court investigation, the criminal case being examined in a simplified procedure.

Accordingly, the court imposed a sentence of 3 years in prison, of which 2 years to be served in a semi-closed penitentiary, and 1 year suspended, this being considered a probation period. The defendant was also deprived of the right to become a member of political parties, to hold positions in the central bodies and territorial organizations of political parties, to exercise activities related to the accounting and financial organization within them, to participate in political activities, to hold public offices and to exercise activities in the public sphere, for a period of 5 years.

Until the final sentence is rendered, the defendant was placed under preventive arrest, being taken under guard from the courtroom.

At the same time, the confiscation of over 8 million lei from the defendant's account for the benefit of the state was ordered.

According to the evidence administered by the National Anti-corruption Centre, jointly with the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office and the Information and Security Service, the defendant, acting as President of the Florești Territorial Office of the former political party, knowing that the party was financed by an organized criminal group, would have contributed to the acceptance of this illegal financing, providing information and resources to support the party.

Thus, the defendant would have accepted through complicity, consciously, to receive money from the criminal group, in the amount of over 8 million lei, money obtained illegally and used for the party's activities (organizing protests and remunerating participants), with the aim of influencing politics in the Republic of Moldova and obtaining power through illegal means.

The sentence is not final, it can be appealed to the Chișinău Court of Appeal within 15 days. The state prosecutor is to decide whether to contest it.

Note: A person accused of committing a crime shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision.