Moldovan business magnate extradited from Greece over $1 billion fraud case

Moldovan business magnate and former lawmaker Vladimir Plahotniuc has been extradited from Greece to Moldova, arriving in Chisinau under tight security.

Footage broadcast live from Chisinau International Airport showed a man in a white shirt and dark cap, hands restrained behind his back, being escorted off the plane by security personnel in dark uniforms. He was swiftly transferred into a waiting vehicle and taken to Penitentiary No. 13, one of Moldova’s most secure detention facilities, Reuters reports.

Plahotniuc’s extradition marks a major development in Moldova’s long-running investigation into what has become known as the "theft of the century" — the 2013 disappearance of $1 billion from the country’s banking system. The staggering fraud, which accounted for roughly 12% of Moldova’s GDP at the time, has plagued the country’s political and economic stability for over a decade.

Plahotniuc, one of Moldova’s wealthiest and most controversial figures, is considered a key suspect in the case. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The extradition comes just days ahead of a crucial parliamentary election, in which the ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) is expected to face strong headwinds amid public dissatisfaction over economic hardship and what many view as sluggish progress in fighting corruption.

Plahotniuc, who once wielded considerable political and media influence in Moldova, fled the country in 2019 after the collapse of a coalition government. He had been living abroad in recent years, avoiding Moldovan and international authorities.

He was arrested on July 21 at Athens International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Dubai. Greek authorities acted on a February Interpol Red Notice, which cited multiple allegations including fraud, money laundering, and the creation of a criminal organization.

The Interpol notice also revealed that Plahotniuc was in possession of 16 passports, registered under different identities from various countries, including Romania, Mexico, and Russia.

By Vafa Guliyeva