Moldovan Oligarch Plahotniuc Arrested in Greece on $1 Billion Fraud Charges

Greek police arrested Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, the former leader of Moldova's Democratic Party, along with former lawmaker Constantin Țuțu, at Athens airport as they were traveling to Dubai. Plahotniuc is wanted for his alleged role in a massive $1 billion fraud involving Moldova's banking system between 2014 and 2015, as well as charges of money laundering, leading a criminal organization, and other corruption offenses. He fled Moldova in 2019 and has since lived in numerous countries to avoid capture, holding multiple passports including Moldovan, Romanian, Russian, and a forged Mexican one. Interpol had issued a Red Notice for his arrest, and the European Union sanctioned him in 2023 for activities undermining Moldova and Ukraine's territorial integrity. Authorities are expected to request his extradition as investigations continue, while Țuțu faces charges related to illicit enrichment and false income declarations. The arrest marks a significant development after years of international efforts to detain Plahotniuc amid ongoing corruption probes.