Greece extradites Moldova's once most powerful oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc
Greece has extradited Moldovan oligarch and former Democratic Party leader Vladimir Plahotniuc to Chisinau, Moldovan media outlet NewsMaker reported on Sept. 25.
Plahotniuc, once seen as the most powerful figure in Moldova, faces charges in three criminal cases, including his alleged role in the 2014 "theft of a billion dollars" from major banks.
He was placed on the international wanted list on April 7, 2025, and detained in Greece in July.
Criminal cases are also opened against him in Russia, where he is charged in absentia with leading a criminal organization, drug trafficking, and illegal money laundering.
After Plahotniuc's arrest in Greece, Moscow also requested his extradition.
The oligarch rose to prominence in the early 2010s, becoming a Democratic Party lawmaker in 2010 and chairman in 2016, by which time he was seen as controlling Moldova's banks, media, and courts.
His political influence peaked when his allies dominated parliament, though he fled the country in 2019 after his backers failed to form a government.
Plahotniuc has long been sanctioned by both the U.S. and the EU. Washington accused him of corruption and undermining democratic processes in Moldova.
The extradition comes just days before Moldova's parliamentary elections on Sept. 28, where pro-Russian opposition parties are set to challenge the ruling, pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
