The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PAA) announced on Thursday, 12 October, the completion of the criminal proceedings and the referral to court for examination of the merits of the criminal case against a former head of a directorate within the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), a K1 fighter and his relative, charging them with the crime of influence peddling.

According to an AP statement, the prosecution was initiated in February 2022 by the Prosecutor’s Office based on a complaint.

“According to the materials of the case, in 2018, the former employee of the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS), claiming to have influence over colleagues in the SIS and employees of the Nisporeni district Prosecutor’s Office, demanded through the whistleblower from the K1 sportsman the sum of 5,000 euros in order to obtain a favorable decision in the criminal case involving a relative of the latter.

Thus, in order to remove assets from seizure and to close the criminal case involving the relative of the K1 athlete, the latter sent the ex-employee SIS through the complainant the sum of 3000 euros,” the statement said.

The defendants did not admit their guilt, and the criminal case was sent to the Buiucani court in Chisinau for examination.

The law provides for a fine of 150,000 lei to 200,000 lei or imprisonment of 2 to 6 years for the offence.

In March 2022, the PA announced that together with SIS officers they had documented the alleged criminal actions of influence peddling by a former SIS officer aimed at bribing an employee of the same institution in a leading position.

The person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision.