Overview

• Local media showed Plahotniuc being led off the plane in restraints after his arrival in Moldova’s capital.
• He is a chief suspect in the disappearance of about $1 billion from Moldova’s banking system, a loss equal to roughly 12% of GDP at the time.
• A Greek court approved his extradition in August, and the justice minister signed off last week after a brief pause in the process.
• Greek police arrested him at Athens airport on July 21 on an Interpol notice as he boarded a flight to Dubai; the notice says he held 16 passports and had lived in 22 countries since 2023.
• The transfer comes days before a national election in Moldova; he denies wrongdoing, Russia has sought his extradition on separate charges, and the EU sanctioned him in 2023.