Eight people detained in case of cereal scams

Chisinau, 28 Feb. / MOLDPRES /- The Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) announced today that it has asked the Chisinau Court to place six people and two people under house arrest in pre-trial detention in the case of cereal scams, which harmed 25 economic agents over seven million lei.

Three people were previously placed in custody on the same file, and another three have the status of suspects. Also, seven detainees sentenced to life were temporarily transferred to the Chisinau penitentiary, to investigate their facts.

To date, 18 people have been identified as defendants in fraudulent schemes with cereal products from farms and agricultural agents.

The criminal scheme was implemented in the summer and autumn of 2021. It was based on three agricultural companies, which were active in coordinating its implementation, and among the organizers are people in detention, including those sentenced to life imprisonment. Two of the companies were newly founded, and the third used a forged stamp. The organizers of the scheme contacted these companies, which went to the interested economic agents, where they picked up the agricultural products, with the commitment to pay them during the next days. However, immediately after obtaining the goods from the victims, the companies sold them to other economic agents, without paying them for the goods obtained.