The “Bank Fraud” case, in which Vladimir Plahotniuc was sentenced to 19 years in prison, continues at the Court of Appeal on Monday, October 12. The hearing began at 10:00 a.m., with the former Democratic Party leader once again participating via video conference. Judges rejected his request to be brought into the courtroom.
At the previous hearing, held on October 1, judges began examining the applications and motions submitted by Vladimir Plahotniuc’s lawyers. The defense filed a total of 41 requests. However, the first appeal hearing was also marked by technical difficulties with the video connection.
The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office appealed the verdict on May 6, seeking a 25-year prison sentence for Plahotniuc instead of the 19 years imposed by the court of first instance. Prosecutors are also challenging the court’s decision not to order the confiscation of $39.2 million and €3.5 million. The prosecution argues that recovering damages and confiscating assets are separate measures that can be applied simultaneously.
In their arguments, prosecutors state that the crimes for which the former Democratic Party leader was convicted caused significant damage to the banking system, harmed the economy and undermined public confidence in state institutions. The prosecution also maintains that there are no mitigating circumstances that would justify a more lenient sentence.
Vladimir Plahotniuc was sentenced in April 2025 to 19 years in prison for creating and leading a criminal organization, fraud and money laundering in the “Bank Fraud” case.