CENTRAL ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU always in the interest of Poland Corruption in the Court of Appeal in Cracow - five detainees - News

The CBA agents from Rzeszów detained employees of the Court of Appeal in Cracow: deputy director, head of the IT department, chief procurement specialist, acting deputy chief accountant and an IT specialist.

Detained by the CBA will be transferred to the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszow, where they will hear charges of corruption, among others, participation in an organized criminal group established and managed by the director of the Court of Appeal in Cracow.

So far in the case - 8 people have been detained by the CBA. Against all of them, the court has taken preventive measures in the form of temporary detention.

The findings of investigators from the CBA and prosecutors show that in the past few years around the court was created a network of many companies linked by capital, family and socially with the director of the Court and the director of the Purchase Centre for Judiciary, carrying out fictitious contracts for the provision of consulting services, analyzes and studies. Most of these companies were created solely for the purpose of obtaining regular contracts with the Court of Appeal in Cracow, and the earnings from the court were their sole income.

In fact, these contracts were not implemented, paid analyzes and studies were created and they were to only justify the payment of money. To make the appearance of legality to the practice, external companies commissioned to the employees of the court performance of work, which scope was convergent with those previously commissioned by the court.

The findings of CBA agents and prosecutors point out, that part of the funds obtained from the Court of Appeal in Krakow was transferred as financial benefits, which was to ensure further favor and reception of further orders.

Estimates show, that the amount of losses of the State Treasury resulted from the misappropriation of the money of the Court of Appeal in Cracow reaches even 35 million zł.

In mid-December last year the CBA detained in this case five suspects: the Director and Chief Accountant of the Court of Appeal in Cracow, the Director of the Purchase Centre for the Judiciary and two businessmen whose companies were supposed to perform fictitious services for the Court of Appeal in Cracow. In February, the CBA detained more people in the case of corruption in the Court of Appeal in Cracow, this time two businessmen - IT specialists. The fictitious jobs for IT and consulting work they were well rewarded. In March this year the CBA agents from Rzeszów have detained Jarosław B. - an entrepreneur from the Mazowieckie Voivodeship operating in the consulting and training organization sector. During the investigation, it was found that he was receiving fictitious orders for which the Director of the Court of Appeal in Cracow Andrzej P. and his staff, including Chief Accountant Marta K., paid money. The orders were not executed and the issued invoices proved untruth. A part of the illegally obtained cash the businessman shared with the employees of the Court.

Nine people have the status of suspects in the investigation, in which in total 31 accusations of corruption offenses were made (among others: giving and receiving bribes, participating in organized crime group, fraud and money laundering).

For the execution of future penalties and penalty measures, 12 properties and money deposited on bank accounts of the suspects were secured.

The CBA does not rule out further detentions of people involved in organized crime, the misappropriation of public money, the receipt and delivery of property and money laundering.