Moldova police: man finds sack of money from state-owned bank under a bridge in capital

CHISINAU, Moldova – Moldovan police say a man has found a sack of money bearing the logo of the state-owned Savings Bank — one of three banks from which $1.5 billion disappeared last year.

Acting police chief Gheorghe Cavaliuc says the man spotted the sack Friday under a bridge in Chisinau and informed police. Cavaliuc didn't disclose the sum of money or the currency.

Cavaliuc called it "an internal security issue" for the bank, adding that a criminal case would be filed if there was suspected wrongdoing.

Some $1.5 billion disappeared from Savings Bank, and the private banks Unibank and the Social Bank, in November 2014 before elections.

Moldovan banks were put under Moldova National Bank's administration. According to an unpublished parliament report, some of the money was transferred to Russian banks.