More and more details are coming to “light” regarding the Moldovan tycoon, Vladimir Plahotniuc, who was arrested yesterday at “El. Venizelos” airport while attempting to travel to Dubai. What appears to have mobilized the authorities and led to the aforementioned action was related to the rather hasty nature of his departure: both the 59-year-old Plahotniuc and the former member of Moldova’s Parliament, 38-year-old Constantin Tutu, reportedly were ready to leave carrying only a backpack and no luggage, as reported by Reuters.
Plahotniuc’s luxury villa in southern suburbs, where he was a permanent resident
Meanwhile, according to the same source, Greek police launched an investigation after receiving relevant information, which revealed that Plahotniuc lived with his partner in a luxury villa in the southern suburbs of Athens, with information indicating it was in Saronida. Tutu also resided in the same residence, officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of the investigation.
Moldova: Vladimir Plahotniuc’s international arrest warrant and the “theft of the century”
As has become known, he had a pending international arrest warrant (red notice) from Interpol, for participation in the billion-euro embezzlement scandal – a case characterized in his country as “the theft of the century.” According to the charges, within three years he had “disappeared” from the Moldovan banking system an amount equal to 12% of the country’s GDP.
It should be noted that since 2021, Plahotniuc had managed to obtain Greek documents – identity card, passport and driver’s license – with false information. Additionally, according to Interpol, he possessed four different passports with nationalities from Romania, Moldova, Russia and Mexico. Plahotniuc, former leader of Moldova’s Democratic Party, served three terms as a member of parliament. After his political defeat in 2019, he left Moldova and found refuge in various countries, including the US and Turkey, where he reportedly had contacts with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A few months after his departure, an arrest warrant was issued against him. Moldovan authorities attempted to freeze his assets in Switzerland, France and Romania, as they are estimated to have been acquired with the embezzled money. It should be recalled that in 2022, the US imposed sanctions on Plahotniuc, accusing him of corruption, bribing police officials and manipulating Moldova’s judicial system to intimidate political opponents and alter election results.
Regarding the other arrestee, Constantin Tutu, it should be noted that a Red Notice had also been issued for him, while police made it known, according to Reuters, that he is wanted by Russia for alleged international drug trafficking.
