Almost 4.9 million lei identified as illegal financing of the "Șor" Party in Edineț.
Art. 181² CC – Acceptance of financing from an organized criminal group or a criminal organization (association). Location: Edineț - Chișinău
Factual summary
Panciuc Svetlana, as the president of the Edineț Territorial Organization of the Political Party “Șor”, contributed to the acceptance of illegal financing of the party from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Șor, by transmitting participant lists, transportation, and boarding photographs, as well as by organizing the mobilization of people to protests.
Between 23.07.2022 and 20.10.2022, she organized the transportation of people from the Edineț district to the protests in Chișinău from 24.07.2022 to 16.10.2022, with amounts paid for transportation and remuneration of participants, including 400 lei/day for protesters.
Between 18.09.2022 and 16.10.2022, Panciuc Svetlana was responsible for the registration, preparation, verification, confirmation, and transmission of the list of people in tents in the “Change Village”, with a mobilization indicated of 18 people/day, paid 100 USD/day for 29 days, totaling 52,200 USD, equivalent to 1,015,236 lei, while the total illegal financing attributed to her activity was 4,866,767.76 lei.
Other property measures: maintaining asset seizure on a Volkswagen car valued at 466,518.99 MDL and a 33% share, equivalent to the amount of 57,178 MDL, from the share capital of LLC “Pangard Nord”
Court Decision
First instance: Conviction
Appeal: No solution yet
Review: Not applicable
Sanctions and measures
Imprisonment with execution. Imprisonment: 48 months
Financial indicators
CRJM expert observation
The case was tried in the court of first instance in general procedure. The defendant did not admit his guilt. In order to reach a conviction, the court of first instance examined several pieces of evidence (results of examinations, searches, special investigative measures, etc.), including hearing 13 witnesses. The case is relevant for judicial practice as it addresses facts of electoral corruption that took place in 2022, including revealing methods of using money accepted from the organized criminal group “Șor” (organizing and remunerating individuals to participate in protests, remunerating members of the PP “Șor”), the amount paid to each person for participating in protests, as well as communication methods for the preparation and prolonged commission of the acts.
Case timeline
Transporting individuals from the Edineț district to paid protests on the dates of 24.07.2022, 23.08.2022, 02.09.2022, 09.09.2022, 18.09.2022, 25.09.2022, 02.10.2022, 09.10.2022, and 16.10.2022; receiving and transmitting via Telegram/other electronic means the lists of mobilized individuals, lists of vehicles, and photographs regarding boarding; organizing, through instructions given to activists and chairpersons of primary organizations, the mobilization and transportation of participants back and forth; receiving monetary funds in bags and envelopes from couriers for paying for transportation and compensating protesters with 400 lei/day.
18.09.2022–16.10.2022
Drafting, verifying, confirming, and transmitting the list of individuals in tents, in a non-stop mode, in the "Change Town" located in front of the Parliament and the Presidency; organizing and mobilizing 18 individuals/day from the Edineț district, compensated with 100 USD/day, for 29 days, totaling 52,200 USD, equivalent to 1,015,236 lei.
20.10.2022–16.11.2022 — application of preventive measures in the form of house arrest regarding Svetlana Panciuc; on the same day, searches were conducted at her residence and in the vehicle used by her, seizing monetary means including 20,000 lei, 1,410 euros, 32,200 lei, as well as a Samsung S7 phone.
02.03.2023 — on-site examination of the objects and documents seized during the searches of 25.07.2022 and 20.10.2022; mobile devices, messaging applications, and relevant correspondence regarding transport lists, localities, and possible transfers of financial means were also examined.
18.04.2023–20.04.2023 — administration of related digital and accounting evidence: seizure from Beșliu Ala of 2162 electronic files regarding participants transported to the PP "Șor" demonstrations, followed by the examination of accounting documents previously seized from the party's headquarters.
25.04.2023 — annexation/recognition as documents and criminal objects of certain relevant acts regarding the financial management of the PP "Șor", including financial reports, cash register and control logs, invoices, and other accounting documents.
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| Case no. | 1a-1083/25 |
| PIGD no. | 1-24148597-02-1a-24112025 |
| Court | Chișinău Court, Buiucani District |
| Verdict | 03.11.2025 |
| Judges | Ana Cucerescu · Judecătoria Chișinău, sediul Buiucani, Judecător Raportor Mihail Proca |
| Prosecutors | Nadulisneac Tatiana, Clevadî Grigore, Potoran Grigore, Iapara Gheorghe |
| Lawyers | Banaru Vadim, Danciuc Ghenadie |
Art. 181² CP – Acceptance of funding from an organized criminal group or a criminal organization (association); art. 30, 42 para. 5 to art. 181² para. 5 of the Criminal Code; 106 Criminal Code
