The former Prime Minister Vlad Filat is facing from 5 to 10 years in prison in a money laundering case started in August 2015. Oral arguments in the case were heard at the end of last week.
In particular, Filat is accused of spending 12.8 million lei, from funds which he had fraudulently obtained from Banca de Economii, on election consultancy services provided by the American firm GQRR to his Liberal Democratic Party in 2013.
The case was sent to the Chisinau/Buiucani Court in January 2019. Vladimir Filat pleads not guilty.
During the oral arguments that were heard on January 19, the state prosecutor requested that the defendant be sentenced to 7 years in a semi-closed penitentiary. Also, the prosecution demands that Vlad Filat pay 12.8 million lei in damages to the state.
The hearing was adjourned until February 27 to allow the defense time for responses and final statements.
Vlad Filat was arrested in October 2015 and later sentenced to nine years in prison for passive corruption and influence peddling. In December 2019, Filat got an early release due to poor prison conditions.
