Falsified reports, fictitious donations, and millions undeclared in a case with nine lawyers defending the 'Șor' Party and Marina Tauber after the campaign in Bălți.
Art. 181² CC – Falsification of reports regarding the financial management of the party and acceptance of funding from an organized criminal group or a criminal organization (association). Location: Chișinău
Factual summary
1) The accused Marina Tauber, as the vice president of the Political Party “Șor” and candidate for the position of mayor of mun. Bălți, falsified the reports regarding the financing of the electoral campaign of 2021 by including fictitious donations attributed to a number of 104 individuals.
She used the fictitious donations to conceal the true identity of the financiers, the volume of the accumulated and used funds, as well as the origin of the money received from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Șor.
In the electoral campaign for the position of mayor of mun. Bălți, Marina Tauber accepted financing from the electoral competitor in the amount of 9,752,000 lei from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Șor.
Part of the financial resources was formally introduced into the electoral circuit through the “Electoral Fund” account, while other expenses, including unofficial salaries and expenses for maintaining the electoral staff, were not reflected in the financial reports.
For the first semester of 2022, Marina Tauber signed the financial report of the “Șor” Party, knowing that it contained false or diminished data regarding the actual expenses of the party.
The financial report of the party did not reflect actual expenses in the amount of 35,090,000 lei, incurred for unofficial salaries, maintenance of offices, and transportation of participants to protests.
From 01.01.2022 to 01.05.2023, Marina Tauber accepted and managed the illegal financing of the “Șor” Party in the total amount of 195,518,013 lei, coming from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Șor.
This money was used for unofficial salaries, remuneration of protest participants, transport, organization of public events and flash mobs, distribution of agitation materials, maintenance of offices, and other political activities of the party.
2) The Political Party “Șor” was accused as a legal entity of falsifying reports regarding the financial management of the party and the electoral campaign, as well as accepting illegal financing on a large scale.
The sentence notes that the party benefited from financial resources coming from sources prohibited by law, including from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Șor, which were used for electoral, political, and organizational activities.
The undeclared amounts were used for unofficial remunerations, organization and transportation of protest participants, maintenance of offices, agitation activities, and other expenses that were not properly reflected in the financial reports.
Other property measures: maintaining asset seizure on monetary funds in the amount of 9,921,424.70 lei
Court Decision
First instance: 1) Conviction of Tauber Marina
2) Liquidation of the Political Party “Șor”
Appeal: Appeal rejected, first instance decision upheld
Review: Not applicable
Sanctions and measures
Imprisonment with execution. Imprisonment: 90 months
Financial indicators
CRJM expert observation
The case was tried in the court of first instance in general procedure. The defendants did not admit their 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 56 witnesses. The case is relevant for judicial practice, considering its importance for society, the adjudication of several offenses in the field of electoral corruption, targeting the activities of the party's vice-president as well as PP “Șor”. The court also ordered the special confiscation of the means used to commit the crime. Additionally, through the episode of interference with the administration of justice, the case may influence the practice regarding the limits of political or protest behavior when it interferes with the conduct of a court hearing
Case timeline
In the same campaign, she organized the inclusion of false data in the donation forms, indicating fictitious donations in the names of 104 individuals, totaling 740,464.50 lei, to camouflage the real source of the money.
From October to December 2021, Marina Tauber signed and submitted to the CEC financial reports of the electoral campaign that reflected fictitious donations and did not declare real expenses, including unofficial salaries and other payments related to the campaign.
In the first semester of 2022, Marina Tauber signed the financial report of the "Șor" Party, registered with the CEC on July 13, 2022, in which real expenses of the party were diminished or omitted in the amount of 35,090,000 lei.
From January 1, 2022, to May 1, 2023, she accepted and managed the illegal funding of the "Șor" Party in the total amount of 195,518,013 lei, used for unofficial salaries, protests, transportation, flash mobs, campaign materials, offices, and other political activities.
On April 12, 2023, between 10:37 and 12:05, Marina Tauber, using her position as a deputy, committed interference in the trial of Ilan Șor at the Chișinău Court of Appeal, through intimidation and insults towards the court panel and threats to block the judicial process.
2) During the 2021 electoral campaign for the position of mayor of Bălți, the Political Party "Șor" benefited from illegal funding, including through fictitious donations reflected in the financial reports of the campaign.
Subsequently, in the first semester of 2022 and during the period from January 1, 2022, to May 1, 2023, the party used undeclared financial resources for unofficial salaries, transportation and remuneration of protest participants, maintenance of offices, flash mobs, and other political activities.
On April 25, 2023, the prosecutor ordered the separation of materials from criminal case no. 2022790016 into a separate case no. 2023970193 regarding Marina Tauber and the legal entity Political Party "Șor".
On May 1, 2023, the order and the record of the detention of Marina Tauber were issued, and subsequently, the preventive measure was replaced with house arrest, extended to May 18, 2023, and June 7, 2023.
May 14, 2024 - It was connected with another criminal case
Subscribe to receive notifications about this case.
| Case no. | 1a-980/25 |
| PIGD no. | 1-23087618-02-1a-21102025 |
| Court | Chișinău Court, Buiucani office |
| Verdict | 30.09.2025 |
| Judges | Olga Bejenari · Judecătoria Chișinău, sediul Buiucani, Alexandru Spoială, Igor Chiroșca, Mihail Proca |
| Prosecutors | Catan Irina, Epure Ghenadi, Capmari Alexandru, Porubin Roman, Busuioc Nadejda, Nadulisneac Tatiana |
| Lawyers | Banaru Vadim, Balan Iulian, Colenco Aureliu, Calaida Denis, Moraru Sergiu, Mustață Sergiu, Caisîn Valentin, Sanduleac Victor, Antonov-Loghin Oxana |
Art. 181² CP – Falsification of reports regarding the financial management of the party and acceptance of funding from an organized criminal group or a criminal organization (association); art. 30, 42 para (2), 45 to art. 181² para (1), art. 181² para (5) and art. 181²
para (1) and art. 30, 181² para (5) of the Penal Code; 106 Penal Code
