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Annual Report 2014 ANNUAL REPORT + 373 688 50 555 facebook.com/risemoldova + 373 687 77 590 twitter.com/risemoldova [email protected] ok/risemoldova www.rise.md risemoldova ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 2 RISE Moldova • About • Mission RISE Moldova Members About RISE Moldova Moldova and regional organized crime networks (The Association of Investigative Reporters Investigations and Editorial Security) is an independent, non- • „Russian Laundromat”: Moscow–Riga via Chisinau governmental and non-profit organization • Vladimir Plahotniuc, monitored abroad • Kingdom of His Wealthiness Metropolitan consisting of investigative journalists, bishop Vladimir and transactions made during the Holly Week programmers and activists from Moldova and • Houses and rental businesses of Moldovan priests Romania. RISE investigates on such issues as • Bishop’s houses and lost business of a local bishop corruption, conflict of interests, money laundering, • Ministries with secret businesses • State officials with business hidden in offshore connections, and cross border organised masonic lodge „Alianta” • Russian arms traffic in Ukraine with the help of criminal network from Moldova crime schemes and networks. • Assassin in Law RISE Moldova in media • national • international RISE Moldova was registered at Ministry of Justice Statistics of Moldova at March 17, 2014 as a NGO • web (Registration number: 1014620001999). • facebook Mission Activities planned for 2015 Our mission is developing and promoting RISE Moldova Projects professional investigative journalism. Partners ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 3 RISE Moldova • About • Mission Members Members RISE Moldova members IURIE SANDUTA ION PREASCA Moldova and regional organized crime networks are experienced investigative He is President of RISE He worked and member Editor in chief, Mold-Street journalists and researchers. of Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Specialization: Investigation on Investigations Some are freelancers; others • „Russian Laundromat”: Moscow–Riga Project (OCCRP) economic issues via Chisinau are also affiliated with local or Specialization: Cross border • Vladimir Plahotniuc, monitored abroad international media outlets. • Kingdom of His Wealthiness Metropolitan investigations MiHai Munteanu bishop Vladimir and transactions made during the Holly Week Reporter-at-large at Organized Crime and • Houses and rental businesses of Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) Moldovan priests NICOLae CusCHEVICI • Bishop’s houses and lost business of a Reporter RISE Moldova Specialization: Investigations on local bishop • Ministries with secret businesses Specialization: Investigative journalism organized crime subjects • State officials with business hidden in masonic lodge „Alianta” and photo reporting • Russian arms traffic in Ukraine with the DUMitru STOianOV help of criminal network from Moldova Freelance reporter • Assassin in Law VLadiMIR THOriC Editor in chief at Russian-language newspaper Specialization: Investigations RISE Moldova in media „Panorama”, member of OCCRP • national on sports • international Specialization: Investigation on frauds Statistics from politics and economics ALina TURCanu • web Editor at Radio Free Europe Moldova • facebook OLGA CEAGLEI Specialization: Investigative Activities planned for 2015 Reporter Centre of Investigative Journalism journalism and photo reporting RISE Moldova Projects Specialization: Investigation on Partners corruption and social subjects ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 4 RISE Moldova • About • Mission Moldova and regional organized crime networks Members Moldova’s territory is frequently used by international Moldova and regional organized crime networks organized crime groups that specialize in money laundering Investigations (from Eastern and Western Europe) drug trafficking and • „Russian Laundromat”: Moscow–Riga via Chisinau arms trafficking. This is due to the geographical position • Vladimir Plahotniuc, monitored abroad • Kingdom of His Wealthiness Metropolitan of the Republic of Moldova on the border of the European bishop Vladimir and transactions made during the Holly Week Union (UE) and Community of Independent States (CIS). • Houses and rental businesses of Moldovan priests At the same time, Moldova remains attractive for • Bishop’s houses and lost business of a local bishop international criminal organizations because of the • Ministries with secret businesses • State officials with business hidden in existence on its territory Transnistria, a separatist region masonic lodge „Alianta” • Russian arms traffic in Ukraine with the which does not have secure, well-delimited border. help of criminal network from Moldova • Assassin in Law Several crime organizations are active on the territory of RISE Moldova in media Moldova. They are led by “thieves in law”, among who we • national • international can count: “Makena,” “Bulgaru,” Ivan Gușan aka “Patron,” Statistics Ion Druţă aka “Pisateli,” in addition to other criminal • web • facebook authorities directly connected to the Russian mafia. Activities planned for 2015 According to police, “thieves in law” from Georgia, Russia, RISE Moldova Projects Ukraine and Lithuania frequently meet in the Republic of Partners Moldova to share and manage regional crime information. ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 5 RISE Moldova • About Moldova and regional organized crime networks • Mission Members Between 2013 and 2014 we cooperated with journalists Moldova and regional organized crime networks from United Kingdom, Romania and Russia to uncover Investigations complex illegal business and criminal organization which • „Russian Laundromat”: Moscow–Riga via Chisinau ordered some assassinations, including shooting of a • Vladimir Plahotniuc, monitored abroad • Kingdom of His Wealthiness Metropolitan former Moldovan banker German Gorbuntsov which bishop Vladimir and transactions made during the Holly Week occurred in London in early 2014. • Houses and rental businesses of Moldovan priests Our reporters revealed an international heroin smuggling • Bishop’s houses and lost business of a local bishop network from Tajikistan, through Russia and into the • Ministries with secret businesses • State officials with business hidden in Republic of Moldova - story which had considerable impact. masonic lodge „Alianta” • Russian arms traffic in Ukraine with the In 2014 RISE Moldova along with OCCRP and help of criminal network from Moldova • Assassin in Law Novaya Gazeta developed an investigation that involves RISE Moldova in media a scheme in which $20 bln. originating in Russia, was • national • international laundered in Moldova via the judiciary and banking Statistics system. We investigated who are the beneficiaries of • web • facebook the laundered money and found links to Vladimir Putin’s Activities planned for 2015 cousin; FSB officers; offshore companies; banks from RISE Moldova Projects Latvia, Russia and Moldova; proxy agents; politicians; Partners and several criminal authorities. ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 6 RISE Moldova • About • Mission Investigations Members Moldova and regional organized „Russian Laundromat”: crime networks Moscow–Riga via Chisinau* Investigations • „Russian Laundromat”: Moscow–Riga via Chisinau ...the biggest money laundering scheme in Eastern • Vladimir Plahotniuc, monitored abroad Europe involving Vladimir Putin’s cousin, FSB officers, • Kingdom of His Wealthiness Metropolitan bishop Vladimir and transactions made during the Holly Week Russian companies, offshore companies, Russian, • Houses and rental businesses of Moldovan priests Latvian and Moldovan banks, Moldovan judges, proxy • Bishop’s houses and lost business of a local bishop agents and important figures from criminal world. >>> • Ministries with secret businesses • State officials with business hidden in Impact 508 masonic lodge „Alianta” • Russian arms traffic in Ukraine with the help of criminal network from Moldova • Assassin in Law Conected articles: RISE Moldova in media >> RISE Moldova reporter insulted by proxy agent • national >> Platon's relations with Moldindconbank • international >> "Phantom" accounts at Moldindconbank held by Russian banker Statistics >> Kempinski negotiating oil businesses with Aleksandr Grigoriev • web • facebook >> Trasta Komercbanka - EU viza for "dirty" money coming from Rusia Activities planned for 2015 RISE Moldova Projects Partners * named The best investigation of 2014 by Centre of Independent Journalism of Moldova shortlisted for the 2014 European Press Prize award ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 7 RISE Moldova • About Investigations • Mission Members Moldova and regional organized Vladimir Plahotniuc, crime networks monitored abroad Investigations • „Russian Laundromat”: Moscow–Riga via Chisinau … surprising Moldovan millionaire Vladimir Plahotniuc • Vladimir Plahotniuc, monitored abroad during his trip to Swiss town of Sciez along other Moldovan • Kingdom of His Wealthiness Metropolitan bishop Vladimir and transactions made during the Holly Week businessmen, TV presenters, and politicians. >>> • Houses and rental businesses of Moldovan priests Impact 7 692 • Bishop’s houses and lost business of a local bishop • Ministries with secret businesses • State officials with business hidden in masonic lodge „Alianta” • Russian arms traffic in Ukraine with the help of criminal network from Moldova • Assassin in Law RISE Moldova in media • national • international Statistics • web • facebook Activities planned for 2015 RISE Moldova Projects Partners ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014 8 RISE Moldova
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