Moldovan ex-MP sentenced to 14 years in prison for espionage for Russia
A Former MP of the Moldovan parliament, Iurie Bolboceanu, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of high treason and espionage for Russia, as reported by Interfax, citing the press service of Moldovan Prosecutor General's Office.
"According to the verdict of the court of Chisinau, former deputy Iurie Bolboceanu was found guilty of committing a crime under Article. 337 cl. 1 "Treason", and sentenced to 14 years in a closed prison and the inability to hold public office for 4 years," the statement reads.
The verdict is not final and it can be appealed.
Bolboceanu was arrested on March 17, 2017 and is maximum detention term will soon expire. According to Moldovan law, if the accused is not sentenced within 12 months from the date of his arrest, he must be released.
The ex-MP is accused of having been recruited by the Russian intelligence services, at which point he collected and handed over information that could be used against Moldova. The investigation established that he cooperated with the foreign intelligence service, which included "arranging regular secret meetings, the use of special methods and equipment, the use of secret communication methods, and the payment of monetary compensation for the execution of orders."
Bolboceanu was a Member of Parliament in 2001-2005, and also from 2010 to 2014.