Moldovan Oligarch Plahotniuc Extradited Amid 2025 Election Turmoil

Vladimir Plahotniuc, a wealthy Moldovan oligarch and former leader of the Democratic Party, was extradited from Greece to Moldova on September 25 to face long-standing criminal charges related to the 2014 "theft of the century," where approximately $1 billion disappeared from Moldovan banks. He was arrested in Greece in July while attempting to flee to Dubai and was found with multiple forged documents. Plahotniuc is accused of orchestrating a large-scale bank fraud involving billions of dollars, with ongoing investigations in Moldova and Russia, where he faces additional charges. His extradition comes just days before Moldova's critical parliamentary elections on September 28, which are highly contested between pro-European forces led by President Maia Sandu and pro-Russian factions. The elections are viewed as a pivotal moment for Moldova's geopolitical alignment, amid concerns over Russian interference and domestic stability. Despite denying wrongdoing and claiming the charges are politically motivated, Moldovan authorities and the EU have targeted Plahotniuc for undermining the country's integrity.