Prosecutors will appeal the sentence issued to a couple accused of fraud, who, according to the indictment, swindled a number of persons out of money on the pretext of collecting donations for sick children. The 31-year-old woman was acquitted on the grounds that the deed was not committed by the defendant, while the man was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison with a two years’ probation, IPN reports.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, prosecutors of the Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office will challenge the sentence passed by the Buiucani Court of Chisinau City on February 12.

The couple was accused of illegally obtaining goods from other people on the pretext of collecting funds for the treatment of children sick with various diseases between May 2020 and July 2020. They used messages and photos taken from web pages, which they shared through social media accounts on Facebook, posing as parents of sick children. Thus, they convinced a victim to make a transfer of 2,015 lei to a bank account indicated in such a post, opened in the man’s name.

The couple the same year, using the same method, cheated over 20 victims, making these transfer funds totaling 7,024 lei.

The Prosecutor General’s Office urges the citizens to be vigilant as there are persons who, under false reasons, can swindle them out of money. It is recommended to carefully check the information and sources before making donations or transferring funds to unknown persons or charities.