Seven people, including a deputy mayor from Comrat, detained in the case regarding voter corruption and illegal party financing
The number of individuals detained in connection with a case involving voter corruption, illegal party financing, and significant money laundering has reached seven. On Tuesday, September 2, the National Anticorruption Center and the General Inspectorate of Police conducted separate operations, which included dozens of searches in Chisinau and the southern regions of the country, all related to the same criminal case. Among those detained are the deputy mayor of Comrat and members of a political party. Investigators also documented money transfers made through a Russian bank that is under international sanctions.
According to the Police, the investigations showed that "a group of individuals with well-defined roles, acting in material interest and for the benefit of the criminal organization guided from outside the country, pursued, during the current year, the corruption of the electorate in view of the 2025 parliamentary elections".
During the 60 searches, law enforcement officers seized money in several currencies, phones, laptops, bank documents and "MIR" type cards of Russian banks, draft documents, an illegally possessed weapon, radio stations, as well as a luxury car, purchased as a result of illegal activities.
The Police say that the suspects were using the mobile application of the Russian bank "Promsviazybank", which is under international sanctions, to transfer and liquidate funds of dubious origin.
“Some of these funds were converted through the Telegram application, using a bot-channel, and access was facilitated through 'VPN Russia',” the General Inspectorate of Police states.
Furthermore, members of the group received direct instructions from the Russian Federation through Telegram channels, which were used to coordinate campaigns to distribute and comment on disinformation videos on social networks such as Facebook, TikTok, and Telegram.
11:30 Four people detained in a case of illegal financing of a political party
Four people, including a deputy mayor of Comrat, were detained following searches carried out by the National Anticorruption Center and prosecutors from the Cahul Prosecutor's Office, in a case concerning the illegal financing of a political party. The CNA raids took place in parallel with 60 searches carried out by the General Inspectorate of Police in the south of the country, as part of a criminal case involving electoral corruption, illegal financing of electoral competitors, and large-scale money laundering.
The CNA raids targeted several addresses in Chisinau, including public institutions. Following the procedural actions, the deputy mayor of Comrat and three members of the Comrat territorial organization of the "Inima Moldovei" party, led by Irina Vlah, were detained.
In total, 17 people are under investigation, suspected of involvement in illegal actions related to the non-compliant financing of a political party.
A total of 17 individuals are named in the investigation, suspected of being involved in illegal activities related to the non-compliant financing of a political party.
According to the evidence gathered, the suspects allegedly provided financial support to political activists to help organize electoral activities.
The investigators also documented instances of activists being paid off the books, as well as cases where signatures were collected in support of a politician in exchange for payment.
“The individuals are suspected of offering financial resources to political activists for organizing electoral activities,” stated the CNA.
Additionally, it was noted in the institution's press release that “episodes of paying salaries in envelopes to party activists were documented, along with cases of collecting signatures in support of a politician for payment.”
The IGP (General Police Inspectorate) specified that their colleagues from the CNA (National Anti-Corruption Center) are also involved in actions taking place in the southern region of the country, though not at the same addresses.
"We remind you that so far, all the doors we knocked on were opened," informed the institution.
07:45 60 raids for electoral corruption and money laundering
Officers from the National Investigation Inspectorate, along with PCCOCS prosecutors and members of the "Fulger" Special Purpose Brigade, conducted 60 searches this morning in southern Moldova.
According to the General Inspectorate of Police, the operations are part of an investigation into electoral corruption and the illegal financing of political parties, initiative groups, or electoral candidates involved in significant wrongdoing. Additionally, the investigation is focusing on large-scale money laundering attributed to an organized criminal group.
Law enforcement officials announced that they will provide updates as soon as the procedural actions are completed.
Meanwhile, Irina Vlah, the president of the Republican Party Heart of Moldova, stated that party members may also be among those affected by the raids. We remind you that the party is part of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc of Socialists, Communists, Heart, and Future of Moldova (BEP), which is a candidate in the parliamentary elections scheduled for September 28.
