Further arrests in the Collegium Humanum case: 11 people facing charges

On Tuesday, on the order of the prosecutor from the Silesian department of the National Prosecutor's Office, officers of the Central Anticorruption Bureau and the border guard detained a total of 11 people. The detainees were charged today.

The prosecutor applied preventive measures to five suspects, including property bonds ranging from PLN 10,000 to PLN 30,000. PLN, police supervision, a ban on contacting certain people, a ban on leaving the country and a ban on participating in the work of examination boards. In the case of six people, the prosecutor applied for temporary arrest.

Fictitious diplomas and legalization of stay

According to the CBA, the practice involved the production of false histories of studies for a fee and the simulation of scientific achievements. Fictitious diplomas were issued in exchange for financial benefits. The CBA reported that the total financial benefits obtained for issuing fictitious diplomas exceeded PLN 850,000. zlotys.

Investigators are also investigating the issue of student status certificates, which were used to legalize the stay of foreigners from countries such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, India and China. According to investigators' findings, the practice could have involved at least 200 foreigners, and the total amount of illegal financial benefits related to facilitating their stay exceeded PLN 22.5 million.

Among the detained are people who currently or in the past held high positions at two private universities, including those who managed a foreign branch of Collegium Humanum.

First verdicts and subsequent charges

So far, 881 charges have been brought against 97 people during the investigation. A total of 475 charges were brought against 83 suspects in the case of issuing false certificates of completion of MBA, bachelor's and master's degrees. Temporary arrest was imposed on 13 people. The value of the property secured in the proceedings exceeds PLN 176 million. and 600 thousand euro.

A week ago, the first verdict was handed down - the District Court in Warsaw sentenced six former rectors and vice-rectors of private universities to one year in prison, suspended for three years, and high fines.