The 59-year-old former leader of Moldova’s Democratic Party is at the center of a major financial crime case, accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of euros from Moldovan banks and orchestrating a large-scale money laundering network.
Alongside Plahotniuc, police also apprehended Constantin Țuțu, a 38-year-old former Moldovan lawmaker from the same party. Țuțu is wanted by Russian authorities for alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking ring that smuggled narcotics from Morocco into Russia via Spain.
Greek investigators had been monitoring the pair, who were living in a luxury villa in the coastal suburb of Saronida, south of Athens. Intelligence sources revealed that Plahotniuc had managed to obtain authentic-looking Greek identification documents using falsified records. He was found in possession of a genuine Greek ID and passport, both reportedly issued with fake certificates, as well as a Greek driver’s license later traced to a car dealership in the Athens neighborhood of Peristeri.
A raid on the Saronida property uncovered a trove of evidence, including around €155,000 in cash, 17 fake passports and identity cards from multiple countries, encrypted data storage devices, numerous mobile phones and computers, and four extremely high-value luxury watches. Authorities also seized a Skoda Kodiaq SUV used by Plahotniuc.
Police surveillance had shown that the two men rarely left the villa and frequently changed their country of residence. Plahotniuc is believed to have traveled to at least 22 countries since 2023, moving constantly to evade capture. On Sunday afternoon, they took a taxi to the airport with minimal luggage, aiming to flee to Dubai. However, officers tracking their movements intervened at the non-Schengen departure gates, delaying the flight and arresting both men before they could board.
During a personal search at the airport, Plahotniuc was found with documents bearing Bulgarian identification details, along with €2,670 in cash, two mobile phones, a laptop, and several digital storage devices. Țuțu was carrying counterfeit travel documents with Romanian and Bulgarian credentials, as well as cash and phones.
Plahotniuc’s influence and assets stretch far beyond Moldova. His name has long been associated with international money laundering, and he has previously held meetings with world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Authorities believe he led a criminal organization, along with fellow fugitive Ilan Shor, that used shell companies in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates to siphon and launder vast sums of money. The total amount allegedly laundered is estimated at over €128 million and $66 million. Țuțu is facing separate charges in Russia, where he is accused of helping run a drug cartel with transnational reach.
Both men are scheduled to appear before a Greek prosecutor on Wednesday as Greek authorities prepare to weigh international extradition requests.
