Moldova police arrest five over 260,000‑lei loan fraud

Five individuals, aged between 20 and 70, including three Ukrainian citizens, were detained by Moldovan police in connection with a loan‑scam that defrauded a 40‑year‑old woman in Chișinău of roughly 260,000 lei. The suspects posed as employees of companies and official institutions, convincing the victim to take two bank loans of 125,000 lei and 135,000 lei. They then used a false pretext of verification by a supposed “Anti‑Money‑Laundering Service” employee to have her transfer the entire sum to accounts they controlled.

Police from the Botanica Police Inspectorate and the Chișinău Police Directorate, assisted by masked officers of BPDS “Fulger”, carried out three authorized searches of the suspects’ residences, seizing more than 5.1 million lei, which investigators suspect may stem from related criminal activity. The investigation continues to determine the full extent of the scheme, identify additional participants and locate any other victims.