Lawyers of fugitive MP Ilan Shor fined by magistrates of the Chisinau Court of Appeal for “deliberately delaying court hearings”. A public defender has been appointed

Lawyers for Ilan Shor, the fugitive MP sentenced in 2017 to prison for fraud and put on international wanted list, have been fined 1500 lei by magistrates of the Chisinau Court of Appeal for “intentional delay of court hearings”. The magistrates appointed a court-appointed lawyer to represent Shor in court.

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) reports that during the court hearing held on 16 December at the Chisinau Court of Appeal, Ilan Shor’s lawyers filed three requests for postponement of the hearing on grounds of involvement in other hearings and ill health.

According to the PA, the state prosecutor, analyzing the reasons given by the defenders, asked the court to impose fines on the lawyers for “unjustified absence from the hearing and informing the Lawyers’ Union about the intentional delay of the hearings”. The plaintiff also requested that the court summon the lawyer appointed by the court.

As a result, the prosecutor’s requests were granted and the lawyers were fined 30 contraventional units, i.e. 1,500 lei, and the public defender was summoned to appear before the court, with the obligation to acquaint him with the case materials until the next hearing.

“We draw attention to the fact that the previous hearings of 02 November 2022, 21 November 2022, 23 November 2022, 07 December 2022 and 14 December 2022 were also postponed based on the requests of Ilan Shor’s lawyers. In this regard, the latter’s deliberate delay in the examination of the case was noted.

At the same time, we note that, at the hearing of 28 October 2022, the prosecution argued its appeal on the file and completed the presentation of evidence in support of the prosecution. At the same hearing, the court admitted the lawyers’ request to lift the exception of unconstitutionality and referred the matter to the Constitutional Court. The case is currently at the appeal stage for the defence, with lawyers continuing to file requests for adjournment. The next hearings have been set for 18 and 20 January 2023,” the PA notes.

On August 20, 2021, after 10 failed attempts, Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) magistrates admitted the request submitted by lawyer Denis Calaida and ordered the transfer of the criminal case from the Cahul Court of Appeal (CA) to the Chisinau Court of Appeal (CA) regarding Ilan Shor, the MP sentenced in 2017 to seven years and six months in prison for fraud and money laundering. Read more here

The Șor case has been assigned for examination to magistrates Stelian Teleuca, Oxana Robu and Ion Bulhac. Ion Bulhac has been appointed judge-rapporteur on the case, and the first hearing in the case took place on 13 September 2021 at CA Chisinau.

On 12 June 2019, Shor held a final press conference. It was two days before the Democratic Party of Moldova cedes power and goes into opposition. Subsequently, on 30 July 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that Ilan Shor had illegally left Moldova and was put under national and international search.

In June 2022, ZdG wrote that it had been three years since Ilan Șor, the deputy of the “Șor” political party, who is under investigation in the “bank fraud” case, left Moldova. During this period, Șor, who lost his parliamentary immunity for the second time in May this year, appeared in numerous videos posted on his Facebook page in which he launched several attacks on the ruling party and Moldovan President Maia Sandu. Although he is a member of parliament, Shor did not attend any of the meetings called by parliament.

In the “bank fraud” case, Shor is charged on nine counts.

In a reply provided to ZdG in June 2022 by the PA, the Prosecutor’s Office stated that investigations have been ordered to search for Ilan Șor both in Moldova and abroad in the criminal case “bank fraud”, pending before the CA. At the same time, extradition procedures have been initiated for him in the criminal case in question, and all the necessary documents have been forwarded by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova to the competent Israeli authorities.

Earlier, journalists from “CU SENS” identified the luxury villa in Israel where MP Ilan Shor has been living for the past three years.

In recent months, the “CU SENS” team has analysed hundreds of photos and videos posted on social media by the family of criminal MP Ilan Shor, also the leader of the “Shor” party. Most of the images are taken in such a way as not to betray the location of the meeting place, which is kept in great secrecy. However, journalists have captured a few details which, put together, have helped identify the luxury villa in Israel where the politician has found refuge for the past three years.