In an indictment filed on October 30, prosecutors allege that former deputy minister Marcin Romanowski, Dariusz Matecki and others conspired to rig Justice Fund grant contests, embezzling 16 million PLN and laundering money in Szczecin.
200‑page indictment filed
On Thursday, October 30, a 200‑page indictment was filed with the court. The indictment targets Dariusz Matecki, the presidents of the Szczecin associations Fidei Defensor and Stowarzyszenie Przyjaciół Zdrowia, and five additional individuals alleged to have participated in laundering the funds.
Alleged rigging of contests
The indictment claims that Matecki and the association leaders arranged and manipulated grant contests for the Justice Fund. According to prosecutors, they conspired to secure 16 million PLN—seven million for the Friend of Health association and nine million for the other organization—by fabricating winners and awarding contracts to companies that did not meet their contractual obligations.
Money laundering scheme
Prosecutor Przemysław Nowak says that Matecki extracted nearly 500,000 PLN from the Fund and another 3.5 million PLN from the associations by funneling money through fictitious employees. An example cited was a translator paid for three years who performed minimal work; portion of the salary was forwarded to Matecki.
Statements from prosecutor
Nowak clarified that five further names are suspected of laundering the money, including former deputy minister Marcin Romanowski and Tomasz M., then head of the department overseeing the Fund. He stated that evidence of the fictitious employment was deemed fabricated, but decisions will be made by the court.
Defender’s response
Matecki, represented by PiS MP, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. He insisted he never received funds from the Justice Fund and claimed the projects were carried out as agreed. He also said he would publish documents to prove his innocence in the coming days.
