A top French court has approved the confiscation of a villa on Lake Geneva owned by Vladimir Plahotniuc, a former Moldovan political figure who has been evading justice amid accusations tied to a massive financial heist.
Plahotniuc, once the head of Moldova’s Democratic Party, went on the run in 2019 after a political shakeup. He is now linked to a scandal known as the “Theft of the Century,” where roughly $1 billion was siphoned from three Moldovan banks between 2012 and 2014, triggering a severe economic downturn in the country.
Moldovan authorities allege that Plahotniuc pocketed tens of millions of dollars from that stolen sum and have sought international help to seize his assets.
The ruling, delivered on March 19 by France’s highest court of appeal, allows the seizure of a waterfront residence in the town of Sciez. According to an earlier decision from 2024, Plahotniuc purchased the property for around $3.4 million in 2018 and later moved it under a Cypriot shell company, Sigmateli Limited.
“The transfer of the Sciez property to Sigmateli Limited was intended to avoid asset confiscation, as Mr. Plahotniuc remains the true owner and user,” the 2024 ruling stated.
Sigmateli had challenged that judgment, claiming it no longer had any ties to Plahotniuc after a management change in 2020. However, the French court dismissed this appeal and ordered the villa’s confiscation.
The recent ruling, obtained by the Swiss outlet Gotham City and shared with media partners, highlights ongoing international efforts to track Plahotniuc’s hidden assets.
The law firm Spinosi, which represented Sigmateli, declined to comment. Plahotniuc’s Moldovan attorney also did not respond to inquiries.
In 2022, the United States imposed sanctions on Plahotniuc for allegedly bribing Moldovan law enforcement and using his influence to manipulate the judicial system and undermine elections.
In Moldova, he faces charges of fraud, money laundering, and leading a criminal syndicate, with the case currently under review in a lower court.
Despite an Interpol Red Notice, Plahotniuc’s location remains unknown. His travel documents include Romanian, Moldovan, Russian, and Mexican passports, though reports indicate the Mexican one is fraudulent.
Investigators found that the Mexican passport—leaked by police and published by Moldovan media—bears a fake name. A check with Mexico’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it is false.
Authorities suspect Plahotniuc owns at least two additional properties in France, including a luxury alpine chalet in Combloux with expansive views, six bedrooms, and amenities like a gym and wine cellar. These properties were registered under legal entities but linked to the Plahotniuc family through personal items found during searches.
Swiss courts have also acted, freezing a $32 million home on Lake Geneva purchased in 2012 with allegedly embezzled funds.
Plahotniuc is among over a dozen suspects charged in the “Theft of the Century” scandal, where $2.9 billion in loans were funneled through Latvian accounts, leaving nearly $1 billion unrecovered.