The U.S. company Kroll was hired, together with the international law firm Steptoe&Johnson LLP, to carry out a more detailed investigation and to work out and implement a strategy for recovering the assets stolen from Banca de Economii, Banca Sociala and Unibank, IPN reports.

According to a press release of the National Bank of Moldova, under the contract, the central bank will be regularly informed about the pace of investigations during the initial period of 16 weeks. At the end of this period, Kroll and the National Bank will agree an extended investigation period and a strategy for recovering the assets.

The bank said this is a complex problem and a long period of investigations will be needed to determine the real size of the alleged financial irregularities and to start to recover the assets. The bank is confident that it hired the suitable team and that these companies - Kroll and Steptoe&Johnson LLP – are determined to help it identity and punish the persons involved and to recover as much money as possible.

The National Bank calls on the population to offer the team time for doing its job, which implies confidentiality. The bank will be informed about the developments on a regular basis and it will provide the public with additional data when necessary.