Oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc is under investigation for child trafficking and human trafficking. According to documents sent to ZdG by an unnamed source posing as “a group of SIS officers,” the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) began criminal prosecution in December 2020.

Reached by ZdG, PCCOCS spokesman Emil Gaitur did not confirm the veracity of the order to start criminal prosecution, but neither did he deny it, which does not mention Vladimir Plahotniuc’s name, but a “criminal organization”, but conveyed that “the data in the criminal case under investigation cannot be disclosed”.

“As for the situation on the file, the criminal prosecution is ongoing, under the direction of PCCOCS prosecutors. We will inform the public opinion as the investigations progress, to the extent that they would have a major social impact, and such information would not prevent the criminal prosecution,” Emil Gaitur said.

In the letter sent to ZdG’s e-mail address, it is said that “the Prosecutor General’s Office is trying to cover up all criminal cases against Vladimir Plahotniuc. At the helm is the deputy acting prosecutor general, Igor Demciucin, who is in direct contact with Plahotniuc and his lawyers. We are sending you an order to open a criminal case against Pahotniuc for child trafficking and pimping, which was opened on the basis of our information, the SIS. The prosecutor who started the file was fired and pressed with files, those who kept the file practically destroyed it”.

UPDATE 14:15 The lawyer of the fugitive oligarch, Lucian Rogac, said “this is something new”.

“I find it interesting how the press finds out before the defense, we don’t know about this either. I have no idea,” the lawyer said.

UPDATE 13:35 The spokeswoman for the Prosecutor General’s Office Violina Moraru returned with the institution’s position on the charges. She noted that the criminal prosecution in the case concerned is ongoing under the direction of PCCOCS prosecutors.

“We would like to point out that prosecutors are independent in the handling of criminal cases, they are subject only to the law, ensuring the proper conduct of criminal proceedings in the public interest, without admitting any interference in the exercise of their powers.

The Prosecutor’s Office takes all necessary measures to ensure that effective investigations are carried out on all the cases it handles,” reads the reply to ZdG.

“(…) For the purpose of sexual and other exploitation”

According to the document received by ZdG, on November 12, 2020, criminal case no. 20206700159 was registered on the basis of the self-report, registered on the basis of the information of the Information and Security Service (SIS) on alleged actions of trafficking in children for the purpose of sexual exploitation, across the borders of Moldova, actions committed in the interests of a “criminal organization”.

“Several persons, members of a criminal organization under investigation, during the period 2011-2013, as well as in other periods of time, have undertaken actions of recruitment, transportation and transfer of several persons, through abuse of a position of vulnerability and deception, including the minor Margareta, born in 1996, who at the time of the alleged criminal actions was 15 years old, across the R. Moldova, for the purpose of sexual and other exploitation in various countries of destination, including EU and non-EU countries”, reads the contents of the complaint and the materials gathered.

Thus, PCCOCS prosecutor Dumitru Raileanu considered that there was a “reasonable suspicion” that the elements of the offences provided for in Article 206 of the Criminal Code were present. paragraph (3) letter b¹), d) of the Criminal Code – “Trafficking in children”, i.e. recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring and receipt of a child, as well as the giving of payments or benefits to obtain the consent of a person in control of the child, for the purpose of commercial and non-commercial sexual exploitation, committed by several persons, by a criminal organisation, and of art.165 paragraph (3)(a) of the Criminal Code – “Trafficking in human beings”, i.e. the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring and receipt of an adult person, with or without consent, for the purpose of commercial or non-commercial sexual exploitation, committed by abuse of a position of vulnerability, by several persons, by a criminal organisation and “there are no circumstances precluding prosecution”.

Four years since he fled the country. The files of Plahotniuc and those close to him – no closure and no convictions

Four years have passed since oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc left Moldova on 14 June 2023. The former leader of the Democratic Party and his associates have been targeted in numerous criminal cases, including the billion theft case, but none has been convicted or served time in prison.

Plahotniuc is also targeted in other criminal cases: for illicit enrichment, in the “Metalferos” case, in the “Kuliok” case, in the case concerning the fraudulent procurement of passport stamps and in a case concerning the forgery of identity documents and passports. All are at the prosecution stage.

The case of Vladimir Andronachi, one of the key people in Plahotniuc’s entourage, is being examined in closed court sessions, Dorin Damir, the oligarch’s godson, has become very active on social media in recent months and displays a relaxed life, living in a modern house in a suburb of the capital, notary Olga Bondarciuc is looking for a job and complains that no one wants to hire her, and Vladimir Plahotniuc and Constantin Botnari are hiding from Moldovan justice in other countries. Law enforcement agencies don’t know much about Sergei Yaralov, another close friend of Plahotniuc’s when he controlled the country.