850 thousand PLN from the Alior Bank foundation was to support the 2023 referendum. The prosecutor's office is accusing

The allegations concern acting to the detriment of the managed entities through abuse of powers or failure to fulfill obligations when disposing of their assets.

Five people charged

The indictment covered the former president and former vice-president of the Alior Bank Foundation - Krzysztof S. and Aneta R. - as well as the former vice-president of Alior Bank, Jacek P.

Artur K., president of the POLSKA360 Foundation, and Dzianis Z., head of the POLONIKA Foundation of the Republic of Poland, were also charged.

According to the prosecutor's office, Krzysztof S. and Aneta R. jointly improperly managed the foundation's funds. Jacek P., on the other hand, was supposed to manage this procedure, using his official position and actual influence on the foundation's activities. The other two defendants are to be held responsible for how the money that went to the organizations they run is spent.

Three donations in October 2023

The case concerns three transfers from the Alior Bank Foundation, made shortly before the referendum:

410 thousand PLN for the POLSKA360 Foundation - the transfer was made on October 4, 2023;

290 thousand PLN for the POLONIKA Foundation of the Republic of Poland - the money was transferred on October 4;

150 thousand PLN for the Youth Shooting Club "KALIBER" - the transfer was made on October 11.

Investigators indicate that both the amount of donations and their purpose were not justified by the statutory goals of the Alior Bank Foundation. The organization was to deal with, among others, supporting education, health, sports, science, culture, social welfare, environmental protection and innovation.

The prosecutor's office also alleges that no proper inspection of the activities and credibility of the entities receiving the funds was carried out before signing the contracts.

The money was supposed to go to the referendum campaign

According to the findings of the proceedings, the POLSKA360 and Rzeczypospolita POLONIKA foundations quickly transferred the money received to media entities. The funds were intended to finance announcements related to the referendum campaign.

The POLSKA360 Foundation was to allocate PLN 408,140 for this purpose, including PLN 400,000. PLN for Polska Press. In turn, the POLONIKA Foundation of the Republic of Poland was to donate PLN 270,000. PLN to Polska Press and PLN 20,000. PLN to Nikris Media.

In the case of the "KALIBER" club, the prosecutor's office determined that PLN 40,516.20 was spent on a press advertisement, and PLN 75,000. PLN for advertisements published on the Internet.

Investigators emphasize that their indictment concerns only funds from Alior Bank, transferred through the Alior Bank Foundation. However, during the proceedings, a broader mechanism of money flow through foundations related to companies with State Treasury shareholding before the referendum was also examined.

Why are there no charges against people from the "KALIBER" club?

The people managing the shooting club were not charged. The prosecutor's office explains that in their case the amount of expenses inconsistent with the statute did not exceed PLN 200,000. zloty. According to the provisions of the Penal Code - "significant property damage", required for liability under Art. 296 pairs 1, must be higher than PLN 200,000. zloty.

The defendants face from 3 months to 5 years in prison.

The Alior Bank Foundation, established in 2022, has been in liquidation since May 2024. The audit conducted at the end of 2023 showed that it was financed almost exclusively by Alior Bank and - according to the findings - was used to transfer funds for political purposes, including initiatives related to the Sovereign Poland environment. The media referred to it as the "Little Justice Fund". After the bank's management changed, the foundation's financing was suspended, which led to its liquidation.

October 2023 referendum

The mentioned national referendum was held on October 15, 2023, in parallel with the parliamentary elections.

Poles answered four questions:

Do you support the sale of state assets to foreign entities, leading to the loss of control by Polish women and men over strategic sectors of the economy?

Do you support raising the retirement age, including restoring the retirement age increased to 67 for women and men?

Do you support the admission of thousands of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Africa under the forced relocation mechanism imposed by the European bureaucracy?

Do you support the elimination of the barrier on the border between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Belarus?