Investigation into Illegal Financing of PiS and Sovereign Poland: Prosecutor’s Office Secures Millions

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów has seized millions in assets from former Polish National Foundation officials suspected of illegal political party financing.

Action Taken Against Former Foundation Officials

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów has taken decisive steps against the former authorities of the Polish National Foundation. Investigators made property seizures on the assets of Maciej Ś. and Cezary J., suspected of illegal financing of political parties – PiS and Solidarna Polska – as well as financing the controversial “Fair Courts” campaign. The prosecutor’s decisions include millions of zlotys in forced mortgages, the seizure of income from the KRRiT, and the blocking of bank accounts.

Millions in mortgages and the seizure of salaries mark the decision of the prosecutor’s office in Rzeszów.

Details of Financial Seizures

As announced on Thursday in a statement by the head of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów, Prosecutor Jaromir Rybczak, pursuant to a ruling dated July 14 of this year, a seizure of receivables from a bank account up to PLN 200,000 was made on the property of Maciej Ś. He added that the bank has so far secured an amount of approximately PLN 191,000.

Furthermore, on the property of the same suspect, property security was established by establishing a forced mortgage of PLN 1 million on a built-up land property that is co-owned by the suspect, the prosecutor stated in the announcement.

In turn, on July 15, the prosecutor also issued a decision to seize Ś.’s income from employment remuneration at the KRRiT up to the amount of PLN 5,000, constituting the receivable of Maciej Ś.

Forced Mortgages and Legal Status

Additionally, by a ruling dated July 14, 2026, regarding property security on the assets of suspect Cezary J., the referring prosecutor established a forced mortgage of PLN 2 million on a built-up land property constituting the co-ownership of the suspect, Prosecutor Rybczak reported in the statement.

He stipulated that the property security rulings are non-final and are subject to appeal to the court. However, they are immediately enforceable; upon being issued, they constitute an enforcement title.

Charges and Origins of the Polish National Foundation

Maciej Ś., a former member of the management board of the Polish National Foundation, and its former president Cezary J. are suspected of financing the “Fair Courts” campaign, as well as the illegal financing of political parties: PiS and Solidarna Polska. They heard the charges in July of this year. They did not plead guilty to the acts attributed to them.

The Polish National Foundation was established in 2016 under the provisions of an act passed during the government of Prime Minister Beata Szydło. According to its statutory provisions, its main goal was to promote the image of the Republic of Poland abroad, protect its good name, and support the Polish economy.

The foundation was established by 17 state economic entities: Enea, Energa, PGE, Grupa Azoty, Lotos, Tauron, Orlen, PGNiG, PZU, PKO BP, GPW, KGHM, Totalizator Sportowy, Polish Security Printing Works, Polish State Railways, Polish Real Estate Holding, and the Polish Armaments Group.

The State Treasury companies funding it undertook to make annual financial contributions for a period of 10 years. The total amount of declared support was to amount to PLN 45.5 million.

Broad Investigation and the Bodnar Report

The investigation concerning the suspicion of abuse of powers and failure to perform duties by members of the management board of the Polish National Foundation in 2017 was initiated in the second half of June 2024 by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw, and then taken over by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów, which is also examining other threads of the foundation’s activity, including the purchase and sale of the I Love Poland yacht for 900,000 euros in 2018.

Materials from an earlier proceeding conducted in Warsaw were also attached to the Rzeszów investigation. It concerns the exceeding of powers by the then Prime Minister by commissioning the Polish National Foundation to implement the “Justice” program, within which the “Courts” project concerning changes in the judiciary was implemented.

The case was included in the so-called Bodnar report – a National Prosecutor’s Office document analyzing proceedings from the years 2016–2023 that aroused particular public interest.

Controversial “Fair Courts” Campaign and NIK Notification

The “Fair Courts” campaign organized by the PFN in 2017 provoked numerous public controversies and protests from the then opposition, which accused the foundation of financing party propaganda with public money. The campaign included the distribution of billboards in Polish cities with slogans attacking judges (including describing them as an “extraordinary caste”) and the launch of special websites presenting government assumptions for the judiciary reform.

The financial activity of the PFN was the subject of interest of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK). NIK controllers repeatedly pointed out the lack of ownership supervision by the founding companies over the foundation’s expenditures. The PFN authorities consistently refused to submit to verification by NIK, arguing that the foundation does not dispose of public funds. In response, the Supreme Audit Office filed a notification with the prosecutor’s office regarding the possibility of committing a crime by hindering state control.