A new court hearing in the “bank fraud” case is taking place today, March 25. Vladimir Plahotniuc appeared in court to deliver his final statement.
Asked about prosecutors requesting a 25-year prison sentence, Plahotniuc said that “the prosecutor got emotional, and for this reason requested the maximum punishment.”
The former leader of the Democratic Party stated before the hearing that the accusations are unfounded and that he will present evidence in court to dismantle the prosecutors’ case.
“Prosecutors are trying to compensate for the total lack of evidence with absurd figures of 25 or even 100 years, just to impress,” he said.
He added that he would present “episodes and evidence” not previously examined, which he claims will demonstrate falsifications in the case.
“It will be a useful presentation for the court and interesting for those in the room, but somewhat sad for the prosecutors, because they will see the falsifications they made,” Plahotniuc stated.
He also noted that he had prepared intensively for the hearing, working until morning due to the large volume of documents and difficult working conditions.
“I knew I didn’t take money from the bank. They write what they want and modify evidence along the way,” he said.
Earlier, on March 23, prosecutor Alexandru Cernei requested a 25-year prison sentence, arguing that a severe punishment is necessary and that correcting the defendant’s behavior requires the full application of legal measures, including isolation from society.
Plahotniuc is being tried in the case known as the “Bank Fraud” or “The Theft of the Billion,” where authorities accuse him of creating and leading a criminal organization, large-scale fraud, and money laundering. After spending a long period on the international wanted list, he was extradited in the summer of 2025 and is currently detained at Penitentiary No. 13 in Chisinau.