CENTRAL ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU Charges Filed in Investigation into Fraudulent Grant Funding - News

On 30 June 2026, officers from the Regional Office of the CBA in Gdańsk detained four men and a woman. The suspects were involved, among other activities, in the geophysical and geological services sector. Using false documentation, they obtained funding from the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014–2020.

Procedural activities were carried out in the Małopolska, Silesia, and Masovia regions. Officers from the Regional Offices of the CBA in Gdańsk, Warsaw and Katowice conducted searches at several locations, securing extensive documentation and electronic devices.

False Project Documentation

According to the investigation, the suspects acted jointly and in concert, with the intention of obtaining financial gain, and caused the National Centre for Research and Development in Warsaw to suffer financial loss in connection with the implementation of an innovative project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund. The project concerned the development of innovative technologies for locating, safely recovering and disposing of submerged chemical warfare agents using a mobile floating installation.

The evidence gathered indicates that, between 2023 and 2024, in order to obtain grant funding, representatives of the company submitted false declarations regarding both the technical and financial progress of the EU-funded project, including the costs incurred in acquiring the system. These actions exposed the National Centre for Research and Development to losses exceeding PLN 7.5 million.

As part of the fraudulent scheme, identified individuals issued and used false invoices with a total value of nearly PLN 14 million.

Charges and Preventive Measures

The detainees were brought to the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Gdańsk, where they were charged with, among other things, subsidy fraud and fraud involving high-value property.

The prosecutor requested the application of a preventive measure in the form of pretrial detention for three months against two of the suspects. The court granted the prosecutor's request.

With regard to the remaining suspects, the prosecutor imposed non-custodial preventive measures, including financial bail, police supervision, a ban on contacting specified individuals, and a prohibition on leaving the country combined with the seizure of their passports.

Investigation Ongoing

This was the third enforcement operation conducted as part of the ongoing preparatory proceedings. The investigation remains ongoing, and further procedural activities are planned.


CBA Press Team