A Moldovan court sentenced business tycoon Vladimir Plahotniuc in a $1 billion bank fraud case

A Moldovan court has sentenced businessman and opposition politician Vladimir Plahotniuc to 19 years in prison in a high-profile bank fraud case.

The charges are related to a 2014 bank scandal in which $1 billion was siphoned from three of the largest financial institutions in the country. Plahotniuc stood accused of receiving only a fraction of the money, namely $39 million and €3.5 million ($4.1 million) from the affected banks.

The politician fled the country in 2019 after his Democratic Party lost the elections and has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the case against him is politically motivated. He was arrested in Greece in July last year and promptly extradited to Moldova to face trial.…