Moldovan politician Vladimir Plahotniuc is implicated in organizing an illegal transfer of funds from Russia to the tune of more than 38 bln rubles ($564 mln), Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Irina Volk told TASS on Friday.

"It has been confirmed that the citizens of Russia and Moldova set up an international criminal group with the goal of carrying out large-scale illegal foreign currency operations. The organizers of this illegal activity were Vladimir Plahotniuc and Vyacheslav Platon, who have Russian citizenship," Volk said.

In 2013-2014, the members of this criminal group transferred money in foreign currency from the accounts of legal entities in Bank Zapadny and Russkiy Zemelny Bank to the accounts of non-residents in BC Moldindconbank S.A. and other foreign organizations under the pretext of selling foreign currency. "In total, more than 37 bln rubles have been transferred outside of Russia," she said.

An investigation has been launched into setting up a criminal group and carrying out operations in foreign currency on transferring funds to the accounts of non-residents using fake documents.

A citizen of the Moscow Region Alexander Korkin has been detained in connection with the case.

In late 2017, Plahotniuc, the leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, which controls the parliament, was arrested in absentia by Moscow’s Basmanny court in connection with a case into an attempted murder.

Businessman Vyacheslav Platon was sentenced to 18 years in jail over embezzlement and money laundering in April 2017.