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13 March, 2026 / 16:53

/ 09 February, 2026

One-billion-dollar theft file: former Moldovan Democratic Party's leader to appear before judges on February 12

The former Democratic Party’s (PDM) leader, Vladimir Plahotniuc, is due to appear before the court on February 12, in order to give statements in the file known as one-billion-dollar theft. The lawyer of Plahotniuc, Lucian Rogac, made statements to this effect at a today’s hearing. Also today, prosecutors requested that documents confirming the costs of Plahotniuc’s extradition from Greece, estimated at approximately 100,000 lei and expected to be covered by the defendant, should be attached the file.

According to the defense lawyer, Plahotniuc was initially supposed to be heard on February 10, but he did not manage to prepare in time for that date. Rogac specified that the former PDM leader was in the process of preparing his statements and would be present at the hearing on February 12.

At today’s session, the judges heard the last witness for the defense – Grigore Olar, the liquidator of the former Savings Bank of Moldova (Banca de Economii a Moldovei). The hearing took place via videoconference, as he is currently hospitalized.

At the same time, Plahotniuc’s defense announced its intention to request additional hearings of more witnesses, while the prosecutor in charge of the case described this move as an attempt to delay the proceedings.

Vladimir Plahotniuc was detained in Greece on 22 July 2025 and extradited to Moldova on 25 September 2025. He is currently being held in pre-trial detention at Penitentiary No. 13 of Chisinau and is under investigation in four high-profile criminal cases, which concern, among other things, the establishment and leadership of a criminal organization, fraud, money laundering and bank fraud.

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