100 000 lei fine – punishment received by a real estate agent for 4 counts of influence peddling
On September 8, 2023, the Buiucani Court of Chisinau pronounced the sentence in the criminal case referred to justice by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, concerning the actions of a real estate agent, accused of committing four counts of influence peddling (Article 326 (11), Article 326 (11), Article 326 (11), Article 326 (11) of the Criminal Code).
The criminal prosecution was initiated in August 2021 by the National Anti-Corruption Centre on the basis of a referral.
The criminal case in question was split by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office from the basic criminal case in March 2022, and according to the materials, the real estate agent, pursuing the purpose of obtaining more quickly the necessary documents for real estate transactions, registration of property rights on real estate, registration of mortgage, etc. transmitted, through a citizen against whom criminal proceedings were initiated, sums ranging from 900 to 2700 lei, in order to influence public persons from the Cadastre Department of the Public Services Agency to issue the documents (extract and evaluation), without the physical presence of the beneficiary/owner of the services.
The trial of the case lasted 1 year, with the defendant admitting his guilt of committing the criminal offence and, at his request, the criminal case being examined on the basis of the evidence administered during the prosecution phase, and he did not ask for new evidence to be submitted.
By judgment of 8 September 2023, the court found the defendant guilty of four counts of influence peddling and imposed a final penalty in the form of a fine of 100 000 lei, with the right to pay half of the amount within three working days of the judgment becoming enforceable.
The sentence may be appealed to the Chisinau Court of Appeal within 15 days.
Note: A person accused of committing a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court judgment.
