The fugitive oligarch Ilan Şor, investigated in several cases, including for illegal financing of parties
The fugitive oligarch Ilan Șor, who is evading the execution of the final sentence in the “Billion Theft” case and is in Russia, is being investigated in several cases in the Republic of Moldova, including for illegal financing of political parties, announced the head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (PA).
Ilan Şor is being investigated in several criminal cases. PHOTO: Facebook
,,Ilan Șor is being charged in a criminal case instrumented by the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (PA), which aims at the illegal financing of political parties. At the same time, he is also being investigated in other criminal cases. Therefore, the statement that the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office does not investigate other facts that would be imputed to Ilan Șor, limiting itself only to the file regarding the theft of the billion, is not true. Thus, the PA also instrumentalizes other facts allegedly committed by him”, said Marcel Dumbravan, head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (PA) from the Republic of Moldova.
The head of the PA refused, however, to provide details about the other criminal cases initiated in the name of the pro-Russian Ilan Șor.
“In the vast majority of cases, investigations focus on the acceptance or direct financing of political parties. There are investigations, including recent ones (no – not necessarily started in 2025), because the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (PA) investigates these facts as a phenomenon. As it is an ongoing phenomenon, depending on the case and their appearance, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office intervenes and investigates the respective facts”the Moldovan official added.
Moscow refuses to extradite the pro-Russian Shor
Marcel Dumbravan, head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, reiterated that Moscow refuses to cooperate with Chisinau regarding the detention and extradition of the fugitive oligarch Ilan Șor, who has been hiding from the judicial structures of the Republic of Moldova in Russia since February 2024.
“The data regarding the nominated person, as well as his whereabouts, are known to the public, but there is no cooperation and responsiveness from the legal bodies of the Russian Federation to enforce this final court decision regarding the convicted Ilan Şor, despite the efforts made in this regard by the Ministry of Justice”. concluded Marcel Dumbravan in an interview with the public television station from the neighboring country.
Convicted in the case of “Theft of a billion”
The fugitive oligarch Ilan Şor has a final and irrevocable sentence for fraud and money laundering in the “Theft of a billion” case. The magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) from Chisinau upheld the decision of the Chisinau Court of Appeal in December 2024 and rejected the defense's appeal.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and in addition to serving his sentence in a closed penitentiary, he must repay over 5.2 billion Moldovan lei and will not be able to work in the banking system for five years.
“The term of imprisonment shall be calculated from the moment of apprehension, including the period of detention”, according to the employees of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office from Chisinau.
Pro-Russian Ilan Şor denies the accusations. He fled the Republic of Moldova in 2019, when the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) left the government under the leadership of oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc. Initially he was in Israel, and then he took refuge in the Russian Federation, having the citizenship of both states.
According to the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) of the Republic of Moldova, Ilan Şor is the main tool of the Kremlin in destabilizing Chişinău.
