Three persons targeted in a case of abuse of office and embezzlement of foreign assets: one sentenced to 14 years in prison, another released from prison, and the third admitted to a psychiatric institution

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani seat, pronounced the sentence in a criminal case regarding the commission of the crimes of abuse of office and embezzlement of foreign assets. The court found one person guilty of committing the crime of abuse of office and two counts of embezzlement of foreign assets, establishing, through partial accumulation of the sentences, a sentence of 14 years in prison, to be served in a closed-type penitentiary, as well as deprivation of the right to manage commercial, public or other non-state organizations for a period of 5 years. In this regard, the preventive measure - preventive arrest, was maintained, with the maintenance of the previously ordered search measures.

Another defendant was found guilty of committing the crime of abuse of office, but was released from criminal punishment due to the statute of limitations for criminal liability. In the case of the third defendant, the court established that he committed the crimes of abuse of office and embezzlement of other people's property in a state of irresponsibility, being acquitted of criminal liability, with the application of a medical coercive measure - hospitalization in a psychiatric institution with regular supervision.

The court admitted the civil actions of four injured parties, ordering the collection, from the account of the three defendants, for their benefit, of the equivalent of the total amount of over 23,000 euros. At the same time, the court admitted the civil action filed by another injured party and ordered the collection, from the account of the defendant sentenced to prison, for its benefit, of the material damage in the amount of 12,000 euros, of the default interest in the amount of 12,270.10 euros (expressed in national currency at the official exchange rate of the Moldovan leu valid on the date of enforcement), of the moral damage in the amount of 50,000 lei, as well as of the expenses for legal assistance in the amount of 10,000 lei.

The court also ordered the collection from the account of the defendants, for the benefit of the state, of the judicial expenses related to the carrying out of the expertise, in a total amount of 17,525.12 lei. According to the evidence administered by the National Anti-corruption Centre and the Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office, during the period 2012–2016, one of the defendants, acting as an administrator of limited liability companies, together with an accomplice and with the involvement of other persons, allegedly committed crimes of embezzlement of assets in particularly large proportions and abuse of office, within the management of real estate projects in the municipality of Chisinau.

The defendants allegedly took control of a commercial company and initiated the collection of financial means from investors – individuals and legal entities – by concluding investment contracts for the construction of residential blocks. Although the projects were approved in a certain form, they allegedly ordered the performance of unauthorized works, including additional floors to the buildings and the modification of the purpose of some spaces, contrary to the project documentation and legal norms in construction.

At the same time, to achieve the criminal intentions, unapproved project documentation was allegedly used, with data on unauthorizedly constructed premises being entered into the cadastral records, and investment contracts for these premises subsequently registered.

As a result of the illegal actions, dozens of unfounded investment contracts were concluded, including for unauthorizedly constructed floors, causing damage to investors. The total amount of financial means attracted from individuals and legal entities exceeds 11.6 million lei.

The sentence can be appealed to the Central Court of Appeal within 15 days.

Note: The person accused of committing a crime shall be presumed innocent as long as his guilt is not established by a final court decision.