Arrest warrant issued for Ilan Shor in case of illegal party financing

Chișinău Court has issued a preventive arrest warrant for Ilan Shor in a criminal case handled by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office regarding the illegal financing of political parties. At the same time, the authorities have sent a request for international legal assistance to the Russian Federation, asking that Ilan Shor be informed about the charges brought against him.

According to the court’s decision of April 24, the preventive measure—30 days of pre-trial detention—was applied in a case in which Ilan Shor is accused of organizing the illegal financing of political groups and accepting financing from an organized criminal group, actions committed as organizer and instigator.

Ilan Shor is alleged to have undertaken a series of actions aimed at the illegal financing and strengthening of a right‑wing political party with pro‑European views, in order to ensure his continued control over political, electoral, and social processes in the Republic of Moldova. In this context, through Alexandr Nesterovschi, Ilan Shor identified former MP Arina Spătaru, who reported these actions to the criminal investigation body. He proposed that she join a political project involving the creation or takeover of parties with pro‑European views, in which she would be the leader, assuring her that her party would be supported and financed by the organized criminal group led by Ilan Shor, and only they would know about this arrangement.

To persuade her to accept Ilan Shor’s proposal, Alexandr Nesterovschi is alleged to have arranged a visit for her to the State of Israel, where she spoke directly with Ilan Shor. Shortly after Arina Spătaru returned from Israel, Alexandr Nesterovschi, under the control of the criminal investigation body, handed her financial means totaling 50,000 US dollars, 100,000 lei, and a mobile phone intended for secure communication with Ilan Shor.

Subsequently, after Arina Spătaru agreed to represent a political party with pro‑European views, Ilan Shor allegedly identified and instigated two persons to create or take over the leadership of a pro‑European political party. The aim was for this party to participate in local elections. Accordingly, Ilan Shor is said to have financed this political party with 452,700 US dollars, an amount exceeding 8,000,000 lei in equivalent value.