A lawyer from Chisinau, who was found guilty of influence peddling, was obliged to pay a fine of 250,000 lei and to return the illegally obtained almost 300,000 lei. The Buiucani Court of Chisinau City found him guilty and banned him from practicing for five years, IPN reports.

According to the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office, the lawyer acted in complicity with another person in 2015-2016 in order to influence judges and prosecutors involved in a criminal case. He asked for and received large sums of money from his client, promising him a favorable solution in court. In total, the illegally collected sum amounted to 299,400 lei, the equivalent of payments made in dollars and euros.

A part of the money was offered directly by the client's relatives, while the rest through an accomplice. In court, the lawyer denied any wrongdoing, but the presented evidence proved his guilt.

The sentence can be appealed to the Court of Appeals within 15 days.

Under the law, a person accused of a crime is considered innocent until a final court judgement is passed.