Investigation Into GPS Tracker Allegedly Planted by CBA on Włodzimierz Karpiński’s Car Closed

The National Prosecutor’s Office has discontinued proceedings regarding claims that Central Anti-Corruption Bureau agents illegally installed a GPS tracking device on the private vehicle of former politician Włodzimierz Karpiński.

The Corruption Allegations

Włodzimierz Karpiński, the former secretary of Warsaw and head of the municipal waste management company, was arrested by CBA officers in February 2023. Prosecutors allege that between 2020 and 2022, Karpiński demanded 2.5 percent of the value of waste disposal contracts as bribes, totaling approximately 5 million PLN.

Karpiński was detained and subsequently lost his position in the capital’s city hall. He was released in November 2023 after assuming a seat in the European Parliament, which granted him immunity. He did not seek re-election in 2024.

Claims of Illegal Surveillance

Karpiński has consistently denied all charges, labeling them as defamatory. He claims there is no conclusive evidence and that he has been the target of illegal actions, including surveillance of his movements.

In November 2023, Karpiński alleged that a GPS tracker was found during a search of his car. He described the device as a rectangular object wrapped in black electrical tape with two magnets, noting that a CBA officer initially identified it as a mobile phone.

Prosecutorial and Judicial Findings

The National Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the alleged illegal operational activities of the CBA in February 2024. However, the case was discontinued in April of the same year due to a lack of evidence of a criminal offense.

When asked about the existence of the device, the National Prosecutor’s Office stated that findings in the case are covered by the protection of classified information. On June 26, the District Court for Warsaw-Wola upheld the prosecutor’s decision to close the investigation following an appeal by Karpiński’s attorneys.

Political Career Overview

Włodzimierz Karpiński served as a member of the Civic Platform party from 2005 to 2019. Throughout his career, he held several high-level roles, including Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Deputy Minister of Administration and Digitization, and Minister of the State Treasury from 2013 to 2015.