The Chisinau City Appeals Court rejected the appeal filed by Vlad Plahotniuc’s lawyers and upheld the decision of the Ciocana branch of the Chisinau City Court, which on May 22 issued a warrant for the arrest of Vlad Plahotniuc for a 30-day period, IPN reports.

Under the law, at this stage the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases is to send all the evidence collected against the accused to the U.S. so that he is extradited.

The appeal was to be initially examined on May 28, but the examination was put off for five times at the request of Plahotniuc’s lawyers.

On May 22, the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases obtained a warrant for the arrest of Vlad Plahotniuc from court. Prior to this, Plahotniuc was charged on three counts: founding and managing of a criminal organization and considerable swindle and money laundering. He faces up to 15 years in jail.