KYIV, April 22 (Reuters) – A Moldovan court sentenced business magnate and former political powerbroker Vladimir Plahotniuc to 19 years in prison on Wednesday in a fraud case involving the theft of $1 billion from the country’s banking sector.
Plahotniuc, who was not present on the courtroom, has previously denied wrongdoing. He says he is innocent, describing the trial against him a political retaliation.
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, writing by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Daniel Flynn)