Polish prosecutors charge five former film institute leaders with multi-million fraud

Charges against former leadership

The District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw brought formal criminal charges on 24 September 2026 against five former officials from the management of the Polish Film Institute (PISF). District Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Piotr Antoni Skiba announced that the suspects include former PISF director Radosław Ś. and former chief accountant Małgorzata K. Both individuals face charges of certifying untruths and causing property damage in commercial operations on a grand scale, involving specified sums of 1,357,544.76 PLN and 1,307,374.00 PLN. Two other former institute officials, former deputy chief accountant Justyna A. and former acting head of the film production and project development department Marta G.-Ł., were charged with certifying untruths. Former deputy production manager Zuzanna O. was charged with using a document certifying an untruth.

Credit card misuse and unreturned subsidies

The Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) delegation in Łódź conducted the investigative proceedings leading up to the charges. PISF operations are funded through cinema ticket levies, streaming platform fees, television operators, and state budget allocations. According to CBA findings, Radosław Ś. used official corporate payment cards for personal and non-institutional spending, generating property damage exceeding 1 million PLN. Sourced allegations include expenses at nightlife venues in Los Angeles and Mumbai, catering services, private purchases, and financing for private court actions. Investigators also established that between 2021 and 2023, the former director failed to return targeted state budget subsidies earmarked for audiovisual production, causing another loss exceeding 1 million PLN. Other examined matters include a December 2023 decision granting a 4 million PLN subsidy to the film "Ministranci" on appeal, despite an initial rejection by the PISF evaluation committee.

Suspect responses and case proceedings

During questioning, Radosław Ś. and Małgorzata K. pleaded not guilty, refusing to provide formal explanations or answer investigators' questions. Radosław Ś. previously stated to PAP that corporate card expenses represented legitimate operational, integration, and lobbying costs, and declared he will submit evidence motions after examining the evidence. Justyna A. and Marta G.-Ł. also denied guilt and declined to answer questions. In contrast, Zuzanna O. admitted to the charge against her and provided extensive testimony to investigators. Prosecutor Piotr Antoni Skiba stated that upcoming procedural steps include formal suspect depositions following case file reviews, evaluating defense evidentiary motions, issuing substantive case resolutions, and potentially separating files for independent proceedings.

Political reactions and institutional background

Radosław Ś. led the institute starting in December 2017 after replacing Magdalena Sroka, and obtained a second term in 2022 scheduled to run until 2027. Then-Culture Minister Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz dismissed him on 11 April 2024 over accounting irregularities and corporate card usage, appointing Kamila Dorbach as acting director after a Supreme Audit Office (NIK) review recovered 7 million PLN. Formal notifications from both PISF and the National Revenue Administration (KAS) prompted the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office to open an investigation in October 2024. Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek stated that the accused face up to 10 years in prison.

This was not the protection of national culture, this was an organized mechanism for siphoning off money.

Culture Ministry information center deputy director Piotr Jędrzejowski confirmed that the ministry will track the legal process, while PISF spokesperson Daniel Witowski stated that the institute leaves findings to the relevant authorities and will not comment on judicial proceedings.