theft of the century

Moldova's 'Theft of the Century': Ex-Oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc Jailed for 19 Years

Vlad Plahotniuc, Moldova's former richest man, has been sentenced to 19 years in jail for his role in the 2014-15 'theft of the century' banking fraud involving $1bn (12% of GDP). He was found guilty of receiving over $40m from the scheme and ordered to pay $60m in damages. Plahotniuc, who denies wrongdoing and was not present in court, was arrested in Athens in July 2025 and extradited. The fraud involved transferring loans to UK- and Hong Kong-registered companies, with funds later linked to pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor.