Five witnesses heard in the "bank fraud" case: testimonies about the Edelweiss Foundation and multi-million contracts
On Wednesday, five witnesses testified at a new court hearing related to the "bank fraud" case. Three of these witnesses were former employees of the "Edelweiss" charity foundation, which was founded by Vladimir Plahotniuc. Prosecutors allege that one of the service contracts signed by the foundation was funded with money stolen from defrauded banks. The other two witnesses testified about a 12 million lei loan contract concluded between SA "Gemeni" and the company "Finpar Invest," the latter of which is believed to be affiliated with the former democratic leader.
During the recent hearings regarding the activities of the “Edelweiss” foundation, Lara Moraru, the organization’s former executive director, testified. She informed the magistrates that the sole beneficiary of the foundation’s activities was Vladimir Plahotniuc.
Lawyer Lucian Rogac stated, “They were told that the sole founder and donor of this foundation was Mr. Vladimir Plahotniuc and that the foundation’s exclusive purpose was charitable.”
The accusers claim to have evidence showing that this foundation benefited from funds stolen from defrauded banks. Prosecutor Vitalie Codreanu stated, “We will present written evidence, including minutes and documents, as well as financial and accounting records that prove payments for this contract were made from funds obtained through bank fraud.”
Two other witnesses testified about a loan granted by SA "Gemeni" to "Finpar Invest," which is affiliated with the former democratic leader. These witnesses confirmed the loan and asserted that there were no irregularities in the execution of the contract.
Prosecutor Codreanu noted, “They confirmed the existence of the contracts, verified the existence of the payments, and acknowledged the return of the funds regarding the 12 million lei loan.”
Lucian Rogac added, “The witnesses confirmed that this contract was completely legal. We believe that political factors are influencing the court to expedite this process.”
The former Democratic leader was absent from Wednesday's meeting, citing a need for more time to review the case file. Vladimir Plahotniuc has been in preventive detention at Penitentiary No. 13 since September 25, 2025. This date marks the execution of four arrest warrants issued against him following his extradition from Greece. The state is seeking compensation of over 700 million lei from the former Democratic deputy due to his involvement in the billion-dollar theft case. The Ministry of Finance will initiate a civil lawsuit to recover the damages.
