Sheriff

One of the things that make Transnistria a bit of a shady place, in the eyes of the world, is Sheriff.

 


Sheriff is the second-largest company in Transnistria.  It was formed by a couple of members of the KGB back in 1993.

The former long-term president's son has also been a key player in running the company.  Sheriff owns gas stations, supermarkets, a construction company, a Mercedes-Benz dealer, a couple of bread factories, a spirits factory, casinos, an advertising agency, a publishing house, a TV channel, a mobile phone network, and the Sheriff Tiraspol football club.  It recently spent around $200 million to build the new Sheriff Stadium.

The company is heavily involved in politics and supports the government by preventing the opposition from reaching the masses via TV, advertising or publishing.  In return, the company benefits from reduced taxes and import duties.

With Transnistria separated from the rest of Moldova, Sheriff basically has a monopoly.  The company does offer discounts to pensioners at supermarkets and is responsible for employing many people across the country.


However, the company has been accused of basically being a mafia-run organization that is used to launder money for the government.  Accusations of people smuggling and arms trafficking have also been raised.