Marina Tauber trial: Moldova politician accused of illegal funding
The last two prosecution witnesses have testified in the case of Marina Tauber, who is accused of falsifying the financial report of the now-banned Șor Party and knowingly accepting illegal funding from an organized criminal group.
The witnesses were a vice president of the Bălți territorial branch and the party’s secretary. Prosecutors assert that their testimonies support the charges against Tauber. In the next hearing, the defense will present its witnesses.
During the hearing, one of the witnesses, the vice president of the Bălți branch, refused to comment to the press. The second witness, the party’s secretary, testified via teleconference.
“The charges outlined in the indictment have been substantiated by the witnesses’ testimonies. Their statements were fairly detailed and provided a clear account of how these political institutions engaged in illegal activities,” stated prosecutor Roman Porubin.
Marina Tauber, an ally of oligarch Ilan Șor, left Moldova on January 7, 2025, via Chișinău International Airport on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Since then, all court hearings have taken place in her absence. According to prosecutors, while running for mayor of Bălți as a candidate of the now-dissolved Șor Party, Tauber allegedly accepted over nine million Moldovan lei from a criminal group led by Ilan Șor. Additionally, during her tenure as the party’s vice president, she allegedly received another 195.5 million lei from the same group to promote the party. Tauber pleads not guilty.
The United Kingdom has recently imposed additional sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Șor.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
