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Warsaw court refuses arrest warrant for Leszek Czarnecki - once one of the richest Poles

23.06.2023 23:40
A Warsaw court has for a second time refused the prosecutor's request to issue an arrest warrant for Leszek Czarnecki - until 2018 one of the richest Poles.
Leszek Czarnecki
Leszek CzarneckiPAP/Jakub Kamiński

The Polish Prosecutor's Office claims that Czarnecki, "As the Chair of the Supervisory Board and the de facto managing director of the company, through granting permission, enabled the organisation and sale of GetBack S.A. bonds through the network of IDEA Bank S.A. ... The clients of Idea Bank were systematically misled regarding the level of risk involved in the investment, the details of the financial instrument and its exclusive nature."

The financial regulator was not consulted before the sale. The prosecutor suspects Leszek Czarnecki of fraud to the detriment of 1140 Idea Bank clients - a total sum of PLN 227 million.

However, the court has again refused arrest. Czarnecki's lawyer, Roman Giertych rebuked the prosecutor: "Courts have now five times concluded there is not probable cause. In this situation, repeating the accusations is a clear infringement of my client's personal rights. In Poland, courts decide the credibility of charges, not the Spokesperson of the Prosecutor."

Czarnecki remains abroad, citing health issues in refusing to travel to Poland.


Sources: PAP, businessinsider.com.pl, money.pl

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