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CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) \u2014 Moldova\u2019s anticorruption agency said it carried out more than 30 raids and detained one person on Tuesday over the financing of a political party allegedly linked to Russia through cryptocurrencies, days ahead of a key parliamentary election.<\/p>\n
The National Anticorruption Center and prosecutors from the Balti municipality said the case involves money laundering and electoral corruption. Investigators said they targeted members and supporters of a political party who were suspected of having implemented \u201ca criminal plan\u201d ahead of Sunday\u2019s vote. One person was detained for 72 hours.<\/p>\n
Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling in Moldova.<\/p>\n
Officials said that evidence collected suggested the illegal funds \u201cwould have come from the Russian Federation, from members of a criminal group,\u201d and transferred through cryptocurrency accounts. \u201cThese were layered and liquefied through illegal crypto exchange service providers, and subsequently converted into cash and distributed by couriers to the final recipients,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
Anti-graft authorities said they seized 800,000 lei ($50,000) in cash in multiple currencies, seized accounting documents and electronic storage devices, and identified cash deliveries totaling approximately 9,000,000 lei ($540,000) made through cryptocurrencies.<\/p>\n
Tuesday’s searches were the latest in a string of investigations in the lead-up to the election on Sunday, when Moldovans will vote to choose a new 101-seat legislature. Many view the vote as a choice between Moldova\u2019s continued path<\/a> toward European Union membership or closer ties with Russia.<\/p>\n On Monday, 74 people were detained during 250 raids<\/a> as part of an investigation into an alleged Russia-backed plan to incite \u201cmass riots\u201d and destabilize the country<\/a> around the election.<\/p>\n Moldova\u2019s authorities said that the unrest plot was \u201ccoordinated from the Russian Federation, through criminal elements\u201d and that the suspects, who were aged between 19 and 45 years old, had traveled to Serbia where they allegedly received training.<\/p>\n Moldova\u2019s pro-Western President Maia Sandu said in a statement Monday that the Kremlin is spending hundreds of millions of euros to try to sway the upcoming vote, and that her country\u2019s \u201csovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and European future are in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s Foreign Intelligence Service said in a statement on Tuesday that European politicians were attempting to ensure Moldova stayed in line with its own \u201cRussophobic policies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey plan to do this at any cost,\u201d the statement said. It also accused European officials of attempting to falsify votes in Moldova\u2019s upcoming elections.<\/p>\n In the wake of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moldova applied to join the EU and was granted candidate status that year. Brussels agreed to open accession negotiations<\/a> last year.<\/p>\n Moldovan authorities have long accused Russia of conducting a hybrid war \u2014 meddling in elections, disinformation campaigns, illicitly funding pro-Russian parties \u2014 to try to derail the country\u2019s path toward European Union membership.<\/p>\n Moldova\u2019s westward shift further irked Moscow and tensions between the two nations skyrocketed.<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n Katie Marie contributed from Manchester, U.K.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n