Fugitive Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc detained in Greece
Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, a fugitive widely known as the “puppeteer” for his far-reaching influence over Moldova's institutions, has been detained in Greece. Greek police confirmed his arrest on Tuesday afternoon based on an Interpol warrant charging him with organizing a criminal enterprise, fraud, and money laundering.
Plahotniuc, who fled Moldova in 2019 to escape a series of high-profile corruption investigations, is implicated in a $1 billion banking fraud that rocked the small Eastern European nation in 2014. The sum—roughly an eighth of Moldova’s GDP at the time—vanished from three Moldovan banks, prompting mass protests and a political crisis.
Once the most powerful man in Moldova, Plahotniuc earned his nickname, “the puppeteer,” for allegedly pulling the strings across all major state institutions, including the judiciary, financial sector, media, and political parties. He served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament (2011–2013) and was the de facto leader of the Democratic Party until his fall from power in 2019.
Greek authorities reported that Plahotniuc’s final destination was Dubai, but his journey was interrupted following international coordination. His detention marks a significant development in long-standing efforts to bring him to justice.
Moldovan and international media describe Plahotniuc as a figure of awe and fear, so much so that even Western diplomats in Moldova referred to him cryptically as “Mr. P” or “VP” to avoid surveillance, convinced their communications were being monitored.
Plahotniuc’s reach extended beyond Moldova. Over the years, he cultivated close relationships with Romania’s former President Ion Iliescu, Moldova’s ex-President Vladimir Voronin, and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In one particularly controversial episode, Plahotniuc is believed to have facilitated the 2018 abduction and deportation of six Turkish educators, followers of exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen, in what was widely seen as a personal favor to Ankara.
At the height of his influence, Plahotniuc controlled an empire that included banks, television networks, hotels, and interests in the oil trade, with an estimated personal fortune of $3 billion.
His arrest is likely to reverberate through regional political circles and could open a path for renewed cooperation between Moldova, the European Union, and Interpol in combatting transnational corruption.
