Moldova police report 157 million lei fraud losses and launch multiple crackdown actions

The head of Moldova’s General Police Inspectorate, Viorel Cernauteanu, said online and telephone scams have caused at least 157 million lei in damage during the first five months of 2026. He noted more than 1,500 reports and about 800 criminal cases are under investigation, adding that many victims do not come forward because of shame: “Some don’t even report. Out of shame for what happened. But that’s no excuse.” Cernauteanu warned that fraud groups operate across borders, exploiting information technologies.

In a separate case, police prevented a second fraud attempt involving €10,000 after a 77‑year‑old man was defrauded of 400,000 lei.

Customs officials at Chișinău’s Eugen Doga International Airport seized luxury jewelry and fifteen watches valued at roughly US$250,000 from a Canadian passenger who failed to declare the items.

Law enforcement also uncovered a tax‑evasion scheme in the collection of scrap metal. Investigators say three company administrators in Chișinău evaded about 3.4 million lei in taxes between 2022‑2025, using false transactions and unrecorded cash withdrawals. During raids, 220,000 lei in cash was seized.