The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (PA) has announced the conclusion of its criminal investigation into a former Vice-Governor of the National Bank of Moldova. The PA has not disclosed the name of the individual, but it is believed to be in reference to Emma Tăbîrță. Tăbîrță is one of three former heads of the National Bank of Moldova who have been prosecuted by the PA for complicity in committing fraud and money laundering on a large scale. Last year, when the files of former BNM Governor Dorin Drăguțanu and former Vice-Governor Ion Sturzu reached the court, the PA stated that the criminal investigation into Tăbîrță could not be completed due to her treatment abroad.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the former Vice-Governor of the NBM was involved in the embezzlement of funds from BC Unibank SA, BC Banca Socială SA, and Banca de Economii SA. The former Vice-Governor was "complicit in the theft scheme set up by the criminal organization led by Vladimir Plahotniuc, including the criminal group led by Ilan Șor.

"In 2014, the former Vice-Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, as a member of the criminal organization, removed obstacles and provided the means to carry out the embezzlement of funds available to BC Unibank SA, BC Banca Socială SA, and Banca de Economii SA. This was achieved through the appointment of members affiliated with the criminal group led by Ilan Șor in the management bodies of these banks and by failing to intervene in their defective operations," the statement from the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office reads.

The accusers also claim that the Vice-Governor, taking advantage of his position, facilitated the embezzlement of approximately MDL 2,544,782,105.6 by the criminal organization and its integration into the legal system of Moldova and other countries.

We remind you that, during the past year, other episodes from the "Bank fraud" file were sent to court, involving the ex-governor of the BNM, Dorin Drăguțanu, and the ex-vice-governor of the BNM, Ion Sturzu. Then the prosecutor's office announced that the criminal investigation on behalf of the former vice-governor of the National Bank of Romania, Emma Tăbîrță, could not be completed, considering that he was undergoing treatment abroad.

Anticoruptie.md wrote that the ex-governor of the National Bank, Dorin Drăguțanu, accused of complicity in the fraud committed by the criminal organization led by Vladimir Plahotniuc and of money laundering in particularly large proportions, wanted to pay his lawyers from public funds. He contested in court the NBM's refusal to cover his expenses for lawyers, in the amount of almost 250 thousand lei. The Supreme Court of Justice put an end to this litigation, finding that Drăguțanu's action is unfounded.