Fugitive Ilan Shor has been sent for trial on charges of illegally financing the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party with more than $450,000. According to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, he allegedly enlisted former MP Alexandr Nesterovschi to persuade a former female lawmaker to take over the leadership of a pro-European party, which was to be funded by the organized criminal group led by Shor and act in its interests, IPN reports.

According to prosecutors, after Arina Spataru accepted the proposal, Shor allegedly identified two other people to help her take over and lead the party. One was to receive and transfer the money, while the other was to manage the party’s finances. The plan was allegedly intended to enable the party to contest local elections and preserve the group’s influence over political and social processes.

Alexandr Nesterovschi was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay more than 1.1 million lei. Two other people involved in the scheme were convicted under plea agreements.

Ilan Shor will be tried in absentia, as he is evading prosecution. If convicted of the charges against him, he faces up to ten years in prison and fines ranging from 45,000 to 400,000 lei.

Ilan Shor left the Republic of Moldova in June 2019 and subsequently settled in Israel, where he holds citizenship. In April 2023, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison in a final ruling in the “Bank Fraud” case, which also ordered the confiscation of his assets and the recovery of damages. At the end of that year, he moved to the Russian Federation, where, according to his own statements, he also obtained Russian citizenship.