Police in Greece have arrested Vladimir Plahotniuc, a powerful Moldovan oligarch and former politician, who was wanted internationally for a range of serious offenses, including his alleged involvement in a $1 billion bank fraud in Moldova.
He was apprehended at Athens airport on Monday evening, along with Constantin Tutu, another former Moldovan lawmaker wanted by Russia for drug trafficking. The two men, carrying only backpacks, were arrested at the airport after boarding a flight to Dubai. They will appear before a prosecutor on Wednesday to respond to charges.
Moldovan oligarch wanted for “theft of the century”
Plahotniuc, 59, considered one of Moldova’s wealthiest individuals and a former leader of the Democratic Party, had been a fugitive since 2019. He denies any wrongdoing in the 2014-2015 “theft of the century” case, which saw a massive amount of money disappear from Moldovan banks.
Greek police initiated an investigation after a tip-off, discovering Plahotniuc had been residing with his partner in a luxury villa in the southern suburbs of Athens, where Tutu also lived. Authorities stated that Plahotniuc had been evading detection by frequently changing his residence across 22 countries since 2023.
Both men were arrested at Athens airport as they were about to board a flight to Dubai, carrying only backpacks. They are scheduled to appear before a prosecutor today, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Moldova’s General Prosecutor’s office is expected to seek Plahotniuc’s extradition.
International sanctions
Plahotniuc has faced numerous international sanctions and accusations related to corruption and undermining Moldova’s stability.
In 2020, the U.S. declared him persona non grata, and in 2022, both the U.S. and UK imposed sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, citing his alleged involvement in controlling law enforcement, meddling in elections, and pro-Russian political campaigns.
In 2023, the European Union imposed sanctions on seven people from Moldova, including Plahotniuc, for actions that it said destabilized and undermined the territorial integrity of Moldova and neighboring Ukraine. Since then, Plahotniuc has lived in 22 countries, changing residence regularly to avoid detection, Greek police officials said.
Moldova’s Ministry of Justice and Prosecutor’s Office are in the process of exchanging information to begin seeking the extradition of Plahotniuc and the other detainee, a government official told the Associated Press.
His arrest is seen as a significant development, particularly for Moldova’s current pro-EU government ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.
The news of his arrest is likely to be viewed positively by President Maia Sandu’s camp and her Romanian and EU supporters ahead of September’s crucial parliamentary elections, in which the Kremlin is already involved through proxies in massive disinformation and voter manipulation campaigns, according to the AP.
