False certificates for foreigners in Poland. The services dismantled the criminal group

The organized group operated throughout the country from June 2022 to the end of 2025. As reported by Capt. Piotr Zakielarz, spokesman for the Bieszczady Border Guard Unit, investigators from Rzeszów-Jasionka found the trail of criminals in 2024.

The findings of the liaison officer operating in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Office were crucial to the investigation of the group.

Foreigners, mainly from Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Georgia, presented false certificates of education to voivodeship offices. In return, they obtained positive decisions on granting residence and work permits in Poland.

False documents - quick money for criminals

The criminal group offered certificates from five Ukrainian universities and two Polish post-secondary schools in Piotrków Trybunalski. The documents, along with translations into Polish, cost from PLN 230 to PLN 800 each or the entire package.

As emphasized by Capt. Zakielarz, "obtaining such documents by foreigners who were under 26 years of age was associated, among other things, with the exemption from the need to pay ZUS contributions by the employer, which made it much easier for foreigners to stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland."

Detention and property security

The first arrests took place at the end of 2025. Officers searched six premises in various Polish cities, including: in Pruszcz Gdański, Żyrardów, Warsaw and Kraków. Three Ukrainian citizens were detained, including the 42-year-old head of the group, from whom PLN 87,000 was secured. PLN in cash. The man was charged with leading an organized criminal group.

It was established that approximately PLN 1.2 million from criminal activities was transferred to the suspect's bank accounts. In the following months, other members of the group were detained.