Moldova’s ex-power broker Plahotniuc tops headlines again as EU-aligned reform faces pressure; longtime oligarch and former Democratic Party chief.
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.