A 38-year-old woman, who was earlier convicted of stealing and drug keeping, was sentenced to seven years in jail for exploitation by begging of a woman aged 39, IPN reports, quoting a press release.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases, the woman paid a particular amount of money to accomplices who presented the victim to her. The victim was offered to work in the building sector in Russia for a salary of US$300-500 a month.

The defendant paid for the victim’s passport that was issued during a day and for her trip to Rostov, but kept the IDs. She profited from the precarious financial situation of the woman and exploited her in Russia during seven days. The victim was made to beg near a church and in public transport. As the victim demanded to be allowed to return to Moldova, she was dispossessed of the money she earned meanwhile and was sent home by a bus.

The sentence can be appealed to a higher court.