Five people have been charged by The National Public Prosecutor (PK) in connection with the payment of 66 million PLN from a public fund (the "Justice Fund") to the Profeto Foundation which, according to prosecutors, met neither the formal nor the substantive conditions to receive financial support.
The Justice Fund ("Fundusz Sprawiedliwości") was set up according to its statute to support the victims of crime. However, the previous Minister of Justice and Chief Prosecutor, Zbigniew Ziobro, issued a directive in 2017 making the choice of recipients of donations directly subject to his ministerial control.
On Tuesday Ziobro's house was among those searched by police.
Possessed by Harry Potter demons
Michał O. had already gained notoriety due to his book "Exorcism. In service of love" ("Egzorcyzm. Posługa miłości") where he claimed to have exorcised demons who "told" him that they had possessed their victim because of their having read Harry Potter books.
Not for victims of crime but victims of "Christianophobia"
The Supreme Audit Office (NIK) in 2021 investigated the Justice Fund and found irregularities in its payments: transfers were not being made according to its statutory purpose of supporting the victims of crime, but to organisations which were broadly related to the ruling coalition's "worldview", in particular the more extremist (nationalist-catholic) coalition partner "Sovereign Poland" ("Suwernna Polska") to which Zbigniew Ziobro belongs.
Former deputy justice minister Marcin Romanowski appears to have admitted unapologetically that funds were used in this way.
The National Public Prosecutor has requested arrest for three suspects on the grounds that evidence may be tampered with if the suspects are released.
Sources: PAP, wyborcza.pl, Rzeczpospolita
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