Warsaw prosecutors have expanded charges against Samer A., a former Orlen Trading Switzerland GmbH executive, and a court has approved a further extension of his arrest.
New Charges in Orlen Trading Investigation
Warsaw’s regional prosecutor’s office has broadened the charges against Samer A., the primary suspect in the Orlen Trading Switzerland GmbH (OTS) case, according to prosecutor Mateusz Martyniuk. The court on Thursday approved another request for his temporary arrest.
Unfavorable Oil Contracts and Additional Losses for Orlen
Samer A., a former board member of Orlen Trading Switzerland GmbH, was previously suspected of causing approximately $378 million (about 1.5 billion zł) in damages to OTS GmbH and Orlen S.A. (of which OTS is a subsidiary). The initial charges related to three unfavorable oil purchase contracts signed between August 21, 2023, and December 21, 2023.
Additional Charge: Undelivered Diesel
Prosecutor Martyniuk stated that the investigation has uncovered evidence to supplement the charges against Samer A. with the inclusion of a detrimental contract for the delivery of 80,000 tons of diesel fuel on May 21, 2023, which was never delivered. This resulted in additional damages of over $12 million to OTS GmbH and Orlen S.A.
Arrest Extension Granted
Due to the amended charges, prosecutors requested the Warsaw–Śródmieście District Court to extend Samer A.’s temporary arrest for three months. The court approved this request on Thursday.
Interpol and UAE Arrest
A previous three-month arrest warrant was granted in December 2024, enabling the issuance of a red notice through Interpol. Samer A. was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January 2025, and the Polish embassy in Abu Dhabi forwarded an extradition request to the Emirati authorities.
UAE Rejection of Extradition Request
In August of last year, Prosecutor Przemysław Nowak reported that the UAE’s National Central Bureau of Interpol informed Polish authorities that Samer A.’s extradition request did not meet the required conditions, leading to the lifting of restrictions on him. Polish authorities have requested clarification on what additional information is needed to fulfill the extradition request.
Court Cites Strong Evidence
The court stated that the evidence gathered by the prosecutor provides a strong basis to believe that Samer A. committed the alleged offenses.
Concerns of Flight and Obstruction
Prosecutor Martyniuk added that the court agreed with the prosecutor’s argument for a preventative detention measure due to the suspect’s flight and the risk of obstruction, as well as the severity of the potential punishment. He emphasized that the court’s decision will facilitate the effective prosecution of Samer A.
Allegations of Hezbollah Links and Iranian Oil Trade
In 2024, the Onet portal reported warnings from Orlen’s internal security services alleging that Samer A., originally from Lebanon, was suspected of ties to the terrorist organization Hezbollah and involvement in illegal oil trading with Iran. The then-CEO, Daniel Obajtek, allegedly dismissed these warnings, appointing Samer A. to lead OTS, resulting in losses of 1.6 billion zł for Orlen after the change in government.
Charges Against Marcin O.
Charges of causing damages to OTS GmbH and Orlen S.A. amounting to approximately $378 million have also been filed against Marcin O., another OTS board member. Like Samer A., he was abroad, and extradition proceedings were initiated with Swiss authorities. Radio Zet recently reported that Marcin O. returned to Poland and faced charges after receiving a “letter of request” from the court, allowing him to remain free until the proceedings are finalized.
Other Suspects in the Investigation
Michał R., a former board member of Orlen S.A., was arrested in June of last year as part of the same investigation. Filip W., a former executive of OTS and Orlen S.A., is also a suspect.
Orlen’s Losses and Political Controversy
According to information from the new OTS management in February 2024, nearly $400 million in losses were due to prepayments for oil deliveries – primarily from Venezuela – through intermediaries. December 2023 prepayments were not fulfilled, with funds going to intermediaries, including $240 million to a company founded in Dubai in 2021 by a 25-year-old Chinese or Hong Kong citizen.
Orlen Seeks to Recover Losses
In December 2024, an extraordinary general meeting of Orlen authorized the company to seek damages from former board members for unfavorable investment decisions, including those related to OTS. Orlen is determined to recover the $400 million in advances paid by OTS to intermediaries for unfulfilled oil deliveries.
Orlen Criticizes Prepayments
Orlen emphasized that the 2023 prepayments of $400 million without adequate security were not standard market practice, leading to a 1.6 billion zł write-down in the consolidated results in April 2024. Orlen noted that it had completed over a thousand oil purchase transactions worth over 100 billion zł between 2018-2023 without making any prepayments.
Obajtek Denies Wrongdoing
Former Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek stated last year that the case is part of a “political vendetta.”