The Interpol office in Paris has put former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat, sentenced in France to two years in prison in a corruption-related money laundering case, on the international wanted list, UNN reports, citing zdg.md.
The request was submitted on December 26. Moldovan law enforcement agencies have already received confirmation. At the same time, according to local media, under the Constitution of Moldova, Moldovan citizens cannot be extradited or expelled from the country.
Former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat was sentenced in France to two years in prison in a corruption-related money laundering case. The court also fined him €100,000 (about 1.9 million lei).
According to the investigation, in 2012–2014, Filat and his ex-wife bought several properties in France through companies and an intermediary. Investigators believe they used money from a Canadian company that in 2011 received a contract to manage the National Lottery of Moldova. It is suspected that Filat, who was then the head of government, facilitated this.
The court's decision states that Filat "knowingly concealed the origin of the money, obtained, according to the court, as a result of corruption, during the period when he headed the government and had to act in the public interest."
Filat did not appear at the court hearing, so the court issued an arrest warrant for him and fined him €100,000 (about 1.9 million lei). His ex-wife was sentenced to 18 months and fined €150,000 (about 2.98 million lei). In addition, the court ordered them to jointly pay Moldova €10,000 (about 199,000 lei) in compensation for moral damages.