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The notorious leader of the criminal organization “Makena” has received a definitive 25-year prison sentence. This comes after the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) successfully argued in court that the defendant orchestrated the 2008 assassination of a rival crime boss.
While the Chișinău Court initially sentenced him to 21 years in 2024 (despite prosecutors requesting life imprisonment), the new ruling solidifies his longer incarceration.
The murder, which occurred inside a closed prison in the Republic of Moldova, was carried out by members of “Makena” also incarcerated at the time. Prosecutors detailed how the victim died at the scene from “blows with hard objects to vital parts of the body.” The perpetrators then moved the body to another floor to conceal the crime.
“The motive for the crime was the desire to strengthen the position of the criminal organization he led in relation to other criminal organizations, as well as to conceal certain information relevant to other similar crimes,” explained PCCOCS representatives. The defendant enticed the perpetrators with “privileges and promotion within the criminal organization.”
Five individuals previously tried as direct perpetrators in the murder were sentenced to 13 years in prison.
The “Makena” leader is currently also in custody for charges related to creating and leading the criminal organization, blackmail, and conspiracy to commit murder.
The PCCOCS continues its robust efforts to dismantle criminal groups operating both domestically and transnationally. In the first ten months of 2025 alone, specialized prosecutors secured convictions for over 100 individuals involved in organized crime.
