2014, Republic of Moldova. Three banks. Several public faces involved, including the Government. One billion $ - vanished into thin air.
What has been stolen and transferred to offshore accounts has to be returned by every citizen of Moldova by 2041. The fraud is equivalent to 12% of Moldova's GDP.
What has been stolen and transferred to offshore accounts has to be returned by every citizen of Moldova by 2041. The fraud is equivalent to 12% of Moldova's GDP.
As time passed and information was hidden from the public eye, the scandal entered both international media and pop culture. Up until this day, we are all still asking #undeimiliardul? (where's the billion?)
Thus, on the 5th anniversary of the theft, we launched the first ever billion dollar banknote. The project was commissioned by an independent TV channel TV8 and the investigative journalist Mariana Rață, in order to promote the TV show Cutia Neagră.
On the banknote, we illustrated the operation of the theft, the political faces that got involved, some elements and critically important dates, maintaining the original design of the American dollar. In total, there are around 35 hidden symbols on the illustration. The idea was to leave the viewer to decide for himself what each one of the element meant.
On the back, we sketched the entire timeline of the operation
We contacted Tatiana Trikoz, an artist from Georgia, to help us with this project. Although Tatiana was not familiar with the operation, nor did she hear about the fraud, after a brief introduction, she was able to come up with her own ideas and elements for the illustration.
3D and 360◦ effect teasers were launched on Facebook
3D photo
360 photo
The campaign includes the launch of a platform, miliardul.md. On this page, doubled in Romanian, Russian and English, you can check out the elements and their description by scrolling on the banknote.
The website also includes a downloadable version of the banknote.
International Media on the theft
“The great Moldovan bank robbery” // BBC
“Moldova, Hunting for Missing Millions, Finds Only Ash” // The New York Times
“Moldova Parliament Dismisses Government Amid Bank Scandal” // The New York Times
“How a Latvian laundered billion USD changed Moldova” // Re: Baltica
“Grand Theft Moldova” OCCRP
Media on the banknote
"Flashmob la BNM: Vino să îţi iei Miliardul înapoi" // Epoch Times Romania
"Bancnotă omagială împărțită în fața băncii centrale" Radio Europa Liberă
The President and the Prime Minister received the framed banknote
Users and influencers posted on social media their photos using #undeimiliardul hashtag
TV8: Mariana Rață, Natalia Morari, Liliana Enachi, Denis Zavorotnii
Illustrator: Tatiana Trikoz
Creative agency: Piko
Creative Director: Constantin Șarcov
Creative Director: Constantin Șarcov
Art Directors: Constantin Șarcov, Alex Burets
Copywriter: Beatrice Tabacari
Executive Producer: Ana Mirza
Bank robber: Nastea Colesnicov
Social Media: Gramatic
Web development: Amigo
Print: Bons Offices, Promomedia, Sonaris-com
