Update: Directors of enterprises ChisinauGaz and  MoldovaGaz are suspected of practicing illegal business activity, money laundering and abuse of power. Prosecutors say that they have implemented together with economic units, a criminal scheme to get huge sums of money. They supplied illegally large amounts of gas that weren’t indicated in the bookkeeping records.  The economic units delivered this gas to some enterprises or individuals.

 “The respective decision makers implemented a scheme that enabled certain economic units and companies to purchase quantities of natural gas without accounting them. Subsequently, the economic units delivered illegally the natural gas to individuals and legal entities, and listed it as loss suffered by the gas supply system, including it in the bills of the consumers,” said prosecutor Vitalie Busuioc, who is investigating the case.

Another scheme was used to return some quantities of gas in the system of 2 enterprises from the economic unit that took the gas illegally. „In the Republic of Moldova and abroad, different economic units placed information on goods for sale. They bought these mechanisms (meters and devices) at a price by 3 times higher than the initial prices proposed by economic units. The incomes of economic units were shared with the decision making people”, said Vitalie Busuioc.

According to the prosecutor, one scheme of illegal natural gas purchase brought to an economic unit a profit of 31 million lei for a period of 4 years.

Prosecutors started searches on Thursday morning, November 26 at MoldovaGaz and ChisinauGaz, as well as at the directors of the relevant companies Alexandr Gusev and Constantin Cuiumju respectively. Also, searches are performed at one economic unit and two individuals. Prosecutors seek evidence in two criminal cases. The information was confirmed for portal Anticorruption by Prosecutor Vitalie Busuioc, who is investigating this case.

MoldovaGaz is controlled by Gazprom, with a share of 51% and the Ministry of Economy with a shareholding of 49%.