Vladimir Plahotniuc, a wealthy Moldovan oligarch wanted in connection with a massive $1 billion bank fraud, was detained in Greece on Tuesday, according to Moldova’s national police.
Plahotniuc, who fled Moldova in 2019 while facing numerous corruption allegations, is accused of playing a key role in a scheme that saw $1 billion vanish from Moldovan banks in 2014—an amount equal to roughly one-eighth of the country’s GDP at the time. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Authorities in Moldova said they were notified by Interpol’s Athens office that two Moldovan nationals had been apprehended, one of whom was Plahotniuc. The identity of the second detainee was not disclosed.
Greek police confirmed that Plahotniuc was being sought by Interpol on charges of participating in a criminal organization, money laundering, and fraud.
Moldova’s Ministry of Justice and Prosecutor’s Office are now coordinating with Greek officials to initiate the extradition process for both detainees, a government representative confirmed.
Once considered one of Moldova’s most influential figures, Plahotniuc left for the United States in June 2019 after his Democratic Party failed to form a government. In 2020, the U.S. declared him persona non grata, and for years his location remained a mystery.
In 2022, the U.S. Department of State imposed sanctions on Plahotniuc for his alleged involvement in widespread corruption, including manipulating Moldova’s legal and political systems to target opponents and influence elections. The United Kingdom also sanctioned him in the same year, freezing his assets and barring him from entry.
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