EIGHT MEMBERS OF MY MOLDOVA ASSOCIATION INDICTED ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING

The Prosecutor General’s Office has completed and submitted to court the criminal case against eight members of ‘Moldova Mea’ (My Moldova) Association, including its chairman Feodor Ghelici, accused of having set up and organized activities of a criminal band that was specialized in human trafficking for begging.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, prosecutors claim that the suspects had set-up a cross-border criminal ring, under the pretext of collecting money for children suffering from scoliosis. As many as 12 people were sent to the Russian Federation in 2013, including some minors, which were supposed to beg there.

The victims were from low-income families and had been fraudulently attracted into this criminal ring, under the pretext that they would be engaged in some volunteering activities. Yet, upon arrival, they were threatened and imposed to beg on streets in different cities and regions of the Russian Federation.
Prosecutors say that the money gathered from begging – about 37 million lei in all, was used by the chairman of this association, for covering his illicit deals.
At present, the chairman of the association, Feodor Ghelici is on home arrest, whereas his accomplices are prosecuted at large. Another two members of this group are wanted by police.

The criminal case was submitted for consideration to the Centru Sector Court.

Infotag’s dossier: Feodor Ghelici was arrested on October 13, 2013 being charged with human trafficking. After 30 days in police custody, he was released and placed on home arrest. Yet, Ghelici keeps on denying the accusations brought against him, stating that this criminal case is nothing but political revenge. Ghelici is well-known in Moldova for his load statements and for his continuous bitter criticism against the incumbent leadership. In 2009, he was running for a seat in the Moldovan Parliament on the ticket of the Liberal Democratic Party.