Charges brought against Solvere members over Judicial Courts campaign – faces 10-year prison sentence
Anna P. and Piotr M. were detained by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) and heard charges of causing material damage to the Polish National Foundation. The investigation concerns the financing of the Judicial Courts campaign in 2017.
Detained by CBA, charges related to Judicial Courts campaign
Anna P. and Piotr M. were detained by officers of the Rzeszów branch of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) in the Mazovian Voivodeship, and were subsequently transported to Rzeszów. According to RMF24, both were presented with charges and gave statements.
"The gathered evidence made it possible to present charges to the detained individuals related to causing material damage of significant scale to the Polish National Foundation in connection with the implementation and financing of the Judicial Courts media campaign," stated Dorota Sokołowska-Mach, spokesperson for the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszów.
According to the investigation's findings, Anna P. and Piotr M. submitted an application in July 2017 to implement the campaign, and a month later signed a contract with the PFN board for the execution of the project. The Prosecutor's Office assessed that the campaign was contrary to the foundation's statutory objectives and aligned with the political goals of Law and Justice and Solidary Poland.
The suspects face up to 10 years' imprisonment. The prosecutor imposed police supervision on them, a ban on contacting other suspects in the case, and a ban on leaving the country.
The prosecutor's spokesperson, when asked about possible further detentions, did not rule them out, noting that the proceedings are still ongoing. She refused to clarify the exact nature of the alleged material damage.
In July, two former members of the PFN board – Maciej Ś. and Cezary J. – already heard charges in the same investigation. These relate to the financing of the Judicial Courts campaign and the illegal financing of Law and Justice and Solidary Poland. Both denied the charges brought against them.
The investigation was initiated in June 2024. The District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw stated at that time that the damage caused to the foundation amounted to no less than 8 million 428 thousand zloty. The case was subsequently taken over by the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszów.
The Polish National Foundation was established in 2016 by 17 state-owned companies. Its task was to promote Poland's image abroad and Polish brand and economy.
Source: RMF24