Joint inquiry between Moldova and France: four people detained for involvement in scheme in which public persons get bribe of millions of dollars to interfere with INTERPOL data

Chisinau, 4 June /MOLDPRES/ - Four people today were detained following searches carried out within a joint inquiry between Moldova and France, which investigate a presumed corruption scheme, through which public people from Moldova and other countries receive bribe, in order to interfere with the publication by the INTERPOL of Red Notices for offenders from different countries, who are internationally wanted. The head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA), Veronica Dragalin, unveiled information to this effect at a news briefing.    

According to the PA’s chief, on 2 April this year, the institution opened a criminal file based on information received from the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office of France (PNF). Thus, a group of people of different nationalities implemented a presumed scheme of corruption, in order to allow people who represent object of INTERPOL Red Notices to get asylum or refugee status in Moldova and in other countries, in order to block and delete their Red Notices, through giving bribes to civil servants, including in Moldova.  

„It is about an international crime ring with relations with people from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries, suspected of committing of cyber offences which caused damages of millions of dollars, paid bribes to intermediaries and public people from Moldova, in order to inform the offenders sought about the status of the Red Notices, in exchange for the payments. The presumed sums paid by the beneficiaries of these schemes amount to several millions of U.S. dollars,’’ Veronica Dragalin said.   

Within the inquiry, based on mandates of searches authorized by an investigating judge from Moldova, PA prosecutors and officers today carried out 33 searches at 12 people, with the assistance of French and FBI prosecutors and officers, as specialists in processing digital devices raised during the raids.  

„Following the searches, digital devices, including mobile phones, laptops and computers, other objects and documents were raised, which are to be examined. The searches took place today morning, with the full support on behalf of the concerned public institutions. Presently, the actions are underway. So far, four persons have been detained for 72 hours,’’ Veronica Dragalin stressed.  

The PA head noted that additional criminal prosecution actions would be carried out, in order to establish all circumstances of the cause. ‘’We are determined to fight against the high-level corruption in all forms, especially against the schemes which endanger the criminal files all over the world. This joint investigation is a proof of the fact that the international cooperation between the law-enforcement institutions is essential in the detection and ceasing of corrupt offenders, who are not limited to national borders. Together, we will continue working and to yield results, in order to eliminate corruption from public institutions,’’ Veronica Dragalin also said.       

The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is an intergovernmental organization with 196 member countries, which provides support to the police, allowing them to share and access data on offences and offenders, including through the issuance of Red Notices. Thus, a Red Notice is an international alert circulated by Interpol to communicate information about crimes, criminals, and threats by police in a member state (or an authorized international entity) to their counterparts around the world. The Notice is based on an application made by a member country, which provides a warrant arrest or a judicial order from the country applicant. The member countries enforce their own laws, in order to decide the actions undertaken based on a Red Notice.