The National Prosecutor's Office announced that at the request of the Prosecutor's Office, the Internal Security Agency arrested five people during the investigation of violations of the law in the Justice Fund. Two of them were temporarily arrested, and the prosecutor's office applied preventive measures of freedom to the remaining three. The charges against the detainees are abuse of authority, failure to fulfill duties, embezzlement and money laundering.
On Wednesday, the spokesman of the National Prosecutor's Office, Przemyslav Novak, said that Adam S. was among the arrested persons. – president of “Fidei Defensor” Association (formerly: “Novi Koliber” Association) and Mateusz V. – former president of the Association of Friends of Media (formerly: Association of Friends of Health). Dorota W., Adrian K. and Dorota K. were also arrested.
– Prosecutor against Adam S. and Mateusz V. Three of them were accused of exceeding their authority and failing to fulfill their duties during joint action and consultation with state officials of the Ministry of Justice and real estate appropriation in the total amount of 16.5 million. The fourth charge is related to money laundering, said the representative of PKH.
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According to the prosecutor's office, the competition, in which the “Fide Defense” Congress and the Association of Friends of Health participated, was organized by the Ministry of Health in such a way as to allow these institutions to win. – The evidence shows that the proposal of these associations was submitted to the person in charge of the Treasury Department of the Ministry of Justice with the aim of reforming and supplementing them. Only after the amendments were the proposals officially presented, – revealed the prosecutor Novak.
“Total allocated amount”
As he added in connection with one of the contests, “even before its conclusion, the Congress “Defense of Defense” was organized by Marsin Romanovsky and Tomas M. it was shown that he won the competition and received a grant from the Justice Fund. “
– After receiving a subsidy from this fund, these funds were embezzled by spending them against the intended purpose, that is, by paying invoices that repeatedly increase the cost of obligations and by paying a few people for fake employment, – the prosecutor's office emphasized.
Prosecutor Novak noted that this part of the case refers to the April 2020 agreement with “Fidei Defensor” on the grant of a subsidy in the amount of 5 million 29 thousand PLN. 100 PLN for the years 2020-2023 for the implementation of the task under the title “Center for the fight against crimes against freedom of conscience and religion “Fidei Defense”. “According to the claims, all the money has been appropriated,” said the representative of the PK.
In addition, it refers to the March 2021 agreement with “Fidei Defensor” to grant a subsidy of PLN 7,126,000. PLN 665 for the implementation of the task entitled “Conducting a nationwide training series for adults to combat the causes of crime and help victims of crime, with a focus on older people and rural and small-town communities.” The prosecutor's office estimates that the amount of PLN 4,171,000 was embezzled, according to the indictment. PLN 999
Million dollar donation for Friends of Health Association
The proceedings also concern the agreement of September 2020 with the Association of Friends of Health on the provision of subsidies in the amount of PLN 7,736,000. PLN for the years 2020-2023 for the implementation of the task entitled “Building and development of local information services for the purpose of conducting information campaigns and activities to support the network of fighting the causes of crime and helping crime victims”. “According to the lawsuits, all the money has been embezzled,” said prosecutor Novak.
As he explained, in connection with the accusation of money laundering, it is about PLN 4 million from the Justice Fund within the framework of these contests and “taking actions aimed at preventing and seriously hindering the identification of their criminal origin.” .”
– The first measure was given to 13 identified persons for construction work in the amount of several tens to hundreds of thousands of zlotys. The second method of money laundering is payments based on invoices that repeatedly show the value of obligations, the indicated value of services does not reflect the actual costs incurred – according to the conclusions of the prosecutor's office. These invoices are issued by business entities, including: by Adrian K. and Dorota K.
Arrest of two people
On Wednesday, the prosecutor demanded that Adam S. and Mateusz V. to be imprisoned for three months. – The need to implement preventive isolation measures against the suspects is justified by the real threat of severe punishment and the fear of illegal obstruction of the trial process, – said the prosecutor Novak.
– The prosecutor applied for the remaining suspects in the form of police surveillance, the ban on leaving the country, preventive measures of the nature of freedom, and against Dorota K. and Adrian K. applied in the form of property guarantee in the amount of PLN 30,000. – he said and noted that decisions have also been made about securing the property.
The Justice Fund scandal
The investigation of the National Prosecutor's Office on the Justice Fund, which has been ongoing since February of this year, has many threads; in particular, there are ongoing reports of excessive abuse of authority and failure to fulfill obligations by the Minister of Justice and officials of the Ministry, who were responsible for the management, distribution and accounting of the funds of the Justice Fund, in recent years. The main task of the fund is to provide assistance to crime victims, as well as, among others. post-conviction relief.
At the request of the prosecutor's office, the Seimas waived the immunity of members of parliament and former deputy ministers of justice, Marcin Romanovsky and Michal Vos, in the case of the Fund of Justice. As announced, further requests to waive immunity in this investigation cannot be ruled out.
Recently, the spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, Anna Adamiak, reported that the case regarding one of the threads of this case is in the final stage and that an indictment is possible soon. This is about the case of Fr. Michal Olszewski and two employees of the Ministry of Justice from the period of PiS rule. The three suspects were granted bail last week, allowing them to be released from custody.
Main photo source: TVN24
