A public official, investigated by NAC, was convicted of 26 episodes of influence peddling

A man accused of committing 26 episodes of influence peddling in a case started by the National Anti-corruption Centre based on self-reporting and referred to justice by the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office found out his sentence. He was fined 175,000 lei, with the deprivation of the right to hold public office for a period of 3 years. The decision was recently pronounced by the Chisinau Court, Buiucani headquarters.

According to the investigations, in 2017, when he held the position of director-administrator of a company specialized in legal consulting, accounting, construction and cadastral services, the defendant claimed and received sums of money between 300 and 2,700 euros from various people. These sums were requested to perfect the minutes of final reception of some construction objectives, including certified specialists in the field of construction in the reception commissions and influencing the signing of these documents.

Also, the defendant received money to influence various actions within the Public Services Agency, including the recording of the minutes of final reception of the rooms, the registration of a newly formed real estate asset, the completion of the authorization to build an access road, and other interventions similar. At the same time, he received money under the pretext of influencing some civil servants from the City Hall of Chisinau, in order to expedite the privatization of an apartment or to change the red lines on a real estate, etc.

The criminal investigation lasted two years, and the trial of the case lasted 5 years, the case being examined in a simplified procedure, based on the evidence administered during the criminal investigation phase, the defendant fully admitting his guilt.

As a result of the analysis of the administered evidence, on August 6, 2024, the court recognized the defendant guilty of committing influence peddling (3 episodes of the offense provided for in art. 326 paragraph (2) letter b) of the Criminal Code, establishing a punishment through the partial summation of the penalties applied - in the form of a fine of 175,000 lei, with the deprivation of the right to hold public office for a period of 3 years. In the case of 23 episodes of traffic influence (art. 326 para. (1) of the Criminal Code), the defendant was found guilty, but freed from the criminal penalty, due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for prosecution.

At the same time, the equivalent of 6,300 euros and 22,200 lei were confiscated from the defendant's account for the benefit of the state, as funds obtained from criminal activity, the seizure applied to his assets being maintained.

The sentence can be appealed to the Chisinau Court of Appeal within 15 days.

Note: A person accused of committing a crime shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision.