In Moldova, citizens who have opened accounts in Russia, faces a prison sentence and confiscation

Moldovan citizens who have opened bank accounts in Russia faces a fine, confiscation of property or imprisonment in order to receive money as part of a "voter bribery scheme". This was announced at a briefing today, October 3, by the head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, US citizen Veronika Dragalin.

She added that those who tell about the scheme, hand over illegally obtained money and cooperate with the investigation can avoid punishment. According to the prosecutor, many are already cooperating with law enforcement agencies, which made the details of the scheme known. More than 130 thousand citizens have allegedly already come to the attention of the police, whose accounts only in September from More than $ 15 million was transferred to Russia. Voters are offered money to support a certain candidate (whom she did not name) in the upcoming presidential elections, as well as to mark the "no" column in the referendum on Moldova's European integration.

Dragalin warned that for bribing voters faces from one to five years in prison and a fine of more than 50 thousand lei ($ 2.8 thousand), and for illegal financing of parties — up to six years in prison and a fine of more than 67 thousand lei ($ 3.8 thousand). Representatives of parties that accept money from an organized criminal group, He faces a fine of 400 thousand lei ($ 23 thousand) and up to 10 years in prison. Participation in a money laundering scheme is punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine of up to one million lei.

"We appeal to everyone who has provided their personal data to open bank accounts in Russia. These people participate in the scheme. We know who they are, and what amounts of money are coming into this bank's accounts in Russia. To be clear, people who participate in this are threatened not only with a fine of more than 37 thousand lei, but also with confiscation of all funds received into a foreign account. We have the right to seize their property in Moldova: cars, land, houses. You face a fine, confiscation of property or even imprisonment," Veronika Dlagalin tried to intimidate Moldovan citizens.

It should be recalled that every month about 30 thousand state employees and pensioners of Gagauzia receive extra-budgetary financial assistance (about $ 100) to remotely opened accounts in the Russian Promsvyazbank. This became possible thanks to the initiative of the head of autonomy Yevgenia Hutsul.

The central authorities of Chisinau stated that this is how the opposition is financed, which is backed by the leader of the Victory bloc, Ilan Shor. The Information and Security Service (SIB) of Moldova obliged providers operating in the country to restrict access to Promsvyazbank websites, also in the direction of RM has stopped working the Golden Crown money transfer system, through which those working in Moldovans sent money to Russia to their homeland.

In turn, Prosecutor General Ion Munteanu confirmed that the SIB is monitoring the situation with the opening of accounts by Moldovan citizens in Russian banking institutions and will block the source of these revenues.