Vladimir Plahotniuc and Constantin Țuțu detained in Athens. Ministry of Justice initiates extradition procedure
The former leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, Vladimir Plahotniuc, was detained on Tuesday morning at the airport in Athens, Greece, while attempting to transit to Dubai. Alongside him, according to our sources, former PDM deputy Constantin Țuțu was also detained. The identity of the second individual was not officially confirmed, but it is known that he was part of Plahotniuc’s close circle.
17:30 – Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office: Four arrest warrants for Plahotniuc
On the morning of July 22, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office was informed via the International Police Cooperation Directorate (DCPI) about the detention of Vladimir Plahotniuc in Greece. According to the institution, four arrest warrants had been issued for the former Democratic leader—three related to criminal cases currently under investigation and one in a case already in court.
The latter concerns charges of money laundering and fraud, connected to Plahotniuc’s involvement in the complex scheme through which, between 2013 and 2015, over one billion dollars were syphoned from Moldova’s banking system and public budget—a case known as the “Bank Fraud.”
Prosecutors recalled that in July 2020, INTERPOL’s Commission rejected Moldova’s request to place Plahotniuc on the international wanted list and deleted all his data from the system at his request. However, following a renewed request by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in October 2024 via DCPI, the INTERPOL Files Control Commission agreed in November 2024 to review the decision and accepted Moldova’s renewed request to include Vladimir Plahotniuc in its database.
Currently, the former politician is charged with three serious offences:
• Creating and leading a criminal organization, punishable by 8 to 15 years in prison; • Large-scale fraud committed by a criminal organization, punishable by 8 to 15 years in prison; • Large-scale money laundering committed by a criminal organization, punishable by 5 to 10 years in prison.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the International Police Cooperation Directorate, all necessary steps will be taken to officially initiate the extradition procedure for Vladimir Plahotniuc from the Hellenic Republic.
16:52 – Ministry of Justice: Extradition procedure for Vladimir Plahotniuc officially initiated
Following the confirmation of Vladimir Plahotniuc’s arrest in Greece, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova officially announced the initiation of the extradition procedure for the former Democratic leader, who is internationally wanted by Interpol.
"The Ministry of Justice has initiated the extradition procedure for citizen Vladimir Plahotniuc after Interpol Chișinău officially informed us of his arrest in Greece. The extradition request will be sent to the competent authorities in the Hellenic Republic," the Ministry said in a press release.
According to the same source, Moldovan authorities are working closely with the Prosecutor General’s Office and other involved institutions to ensure a legally and procedurally complete case file.
15:45 – Ion Tăbârță: Plahotniuc’s detention took everyone by surprise. It could be a Russian intelligence operation
The arrest of Vladimir Plahotniuc at Athens airport has caused a strong reaction in Chișinău, especially amid Moldova’s ongoing election campaign. Political analyst Ion Tăbârță said the event was unexpected and could have major implications for the political scene and government stability.
“A surprising piece of news—it caught everyone off guard,” Tăbârță commented on Radio Moldova’s "Zi de zi" program. According to him, the arrest could be “an operation orchestrated by certain foreign services, obviously referring to those of the Russian Federation,” potentially sparking political and legal complications in the near future.
The analyst also pointed out the uncertainty surrounding the legal status of the detention: “We’ll have to wait and see how events unfold in order to understand the bigger picture.” He added, “No one really believed he could be arrested and brought back to Moldova—at least not anytime soon.” In his view, the arrest could negatively impact the image of the current government. “Bringing him back to Moldova now may actually harm the current administration, given how powerless it has been in certain cases, especially where the justice system has been uncooperative—placing the government in an awkward position.”
Tăbârță also referred to public speculation about an alleged case in Russia. “According to some information circulating on social media, Plahotniuc’s arrest might be linked to a fraud case in the Russian Federation,” the analyst noted.
Finally, he reminded the public that Plahotniuc was believed to be residing in Northern Cyprus, a region that does not allow international extradition procedures. “It was informally known that he was in Northern Cyprus, a separatist region outside international jurisdiction where extradition procedures simply don’t apply. It was also rumored that he commuted from Northern Cyprus to Turkey, where certain individuals from Moldova are located. Șor himself admitted they talk on the phone, that they keep in contact,” Tăbârță concluded.
15:30 – Greek media: Plahotniuc caught in Athens after authorities were alerted to his imminent presence
The operation was launched following intelligence received by Greek authorities about Vladimir Plahotniuc’s imminent presence on Greek territory. According to local media, the Athens Organized Crime Directorate intervened Tuesday morning, detaining the former leader of Moldova’s Democratic Party at “Eleftherios Venizelos” Airport as he was preparing to fly to Dubai.
13:15 Ministry of Internal Affairs: Extradition mechanism launched in case of Vladimir Plahotniuc, detained in Athens
The extradition process has officially begun for former Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc, who was detained on the morning of July 22 at Athens International Airport in Greece. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Daniela Misail-Nichitin, informed Teleradio-Moldova that the extradition mechanism was activated immediately following his detention, in accordance with international regulations.
"I confirm that he was detained at the airport in Athens. The extradition procedure will be organized according to international practices. All Interpol member countries adhere to extradition regulations, and once a person is detained, this mechanism is triggered," stated the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
She mentioned that the exact duration of the extradition process cannot be determined at this time: "Each case is organized based on its specifics. We will not speculate on possible scenarios. There is a procedure that will be followed in accordance with both national and international standards."
11:42 Cernăuțeanu on Plahotniuc’s detention in Greece: “We are exchanging information with the Greek authorities. We will provide more details later.”**
The Head of the General Police Inspectorate, Viorel Cernăuțeanu, told Teleradio-Moldova that the detention took place at 4:30 in the morning and that, at present, “we are still exchanging information with our colleagues in Greece regarding this matter. We will later provide additional details.” The IGP chief said that “they were attempting to transit via a route to Dubai.”
Asked about Țuțu’s involvement, Cernăuțeanu stated that “he is a person from Plahotniuc’s close circle, but at this stage, from the standpoint of communication strategy and ongoing procedural actions, I cannot publicly confirm this.”
According to him, the procedural actions for the extradition of the two will be coordinated by the criminal investigation body responsible for the case, in cooperation with the International Police Cooperation Directorate (DCPI) within the IGP.
For now, the exact circumstances of the detention and the specific charges brought against them are not known.
