Ilan Shor again in the headlines as Moldova eyes pro-Russian influence amid elections; fugitive oligarch, former Șor Party boss, now in Russia.
Vladimir Plahotniuc has been convicted by a Moldovan court on charges including creating a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering. He is implicated in a 2014 $1 billion bank theft that destabilized Moldova. The court's decision marks a milestone in judicial reform, but his appeal is pending. The story is current as of April 28, 2026.
Russia has added Browder and four other British citizens to its entry ban list in retaliation for Western sanctions. The move also targets journalists Catherine Belton and Richard Holmes, with Russia portraying the action as a response to London’s stance on Kyiv and crypto networks used to bypass sanctions.