Polish anti-corruption agents have detained multiple suspects across several high-profile probes, including cases involving EU-funded tram projects, strategic reserves, and digital innovation grants, with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office overseeing key investigations. The Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) continues to carry out coordinated operations resulting in arrests of individuals suspected of corruption, fraud, and abuse of authority in public procurement and EU fund misappropriation schemes.
Multiple corruption probes yield fresh arrests
Polish authorities have announced a series of new detentions as part of wide-ranging corruption investigations spanning multiple sectors of public life, from infrastructure projects to strategic reserves management. As reported by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) on its official website, officers have carried out coordinated operations resulting in the arrest of numerous individuals suspected of corruption, fraud, and abuse of authority.
The investigations, supervised by both national prosecutors and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), have uncovered alleged schemes involving public procurement irregularities, bid-rigging, and the misappropriation of EU funds.
Strategic reserves investigation expands
On 15 July 2026, agents of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau detained three more individuals as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities at the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves (RARS). As reported by Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesman for the minister coordinator of special services, the detainees include 36-year-old Paweł P., a former employee of RARS, and two former heads of the National Development Bank (BGK) Foundation – 52-year-old Renata K. and 42-year-old Włodzimierz D.
According to the state news agency PAP, prosecutors suspect the individuals of diverting public funds for personal gain and political ends. As noted by Dobrzyński on the social media platform X,
“There is a justified suspicion that donations obtained by the foundation from state-owned companies – instead of being used for charitable activities – were directed towards political activities.”
The investigation centres on alleged abuse of office and dereliction of duty by employees of RARS between 2021 and 2023. Prosecutors are also examining procurement contracts for supplies purchased by the agency and other actions that may have harmed the public interest.
According to the CBA’s official communications, 14 suspects have now been charged with a total of 33 offenses in the RARS case, with two strands of the investigation remaining ongoing.
Tram infrastructure modernisation probe
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has been actively involved in a separate corruption investigation concerning the modernisation of tram infrastructure in the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, a project that received approximately €450 million in EU funding.
As reported by the EPPO in a statement dated 3 June 2026, officers from the CBA’s Regional Office in Katowice arrested two men in Katowice and Chorzów at the request of European prosecutors. The suspects – identified as a President and a Vice-President of the Management Board of a company administering European Union funds – are suspected of corruption, active and passive bribery, abuse of authority, and unlawful influence on the outcome of public procurement procedures.
This marks the fifth procedural operation in the ongoing preparatory proceedings. To date, a total of 42 charges have been brought against 11 individuals in connection with the tram infrastructure case.
In a related development, on 5 May 2026, the European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi requested the Polish Parliament (Sejm) to lift the immunity of an active Member of Parliament suspected of trading in influence in the same investigation. While the EPPO did not name the lawmaker, media reports have suggested the request concerns Wojciech Król, deputy chairman of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s ruling Civic Coalition parliamentary group and head of the National Media Council.
According to the CBA, the total value of bribes transferred in the tram case amounted to around €640,000.
Digital innovation grants under scrutiny
On 8 June 2026, CBA officers acting on orders from the EPPO arrested six individuals in connection with irregularities in the awarding of grants under the “Fast Track – Digital Innovations” competition organised by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR).
The investigation concerns suspected fraud and misappropriation of EU funds designated for digital innovation projects. As stated in the CBA’s official announcement, the proceedings are being supervised by European prosecutors, underscoring the cross-border nature of the alleged financial irregularities.
PESA Mińsk Mazowiecki corruption scheme dismantled
In a separate operation, the CBA announced on 18 June 2026 that it had dismantled a corruption scheme operating at PESA Mińsk Mazowiecki. Seven individuals were arrested, including three company employees and four entrepreneurs cooperating with the company.
The investigation is supervised by the Mazovian Branch of the Department for Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Additional operations across multiple sectors
On 17 June 2026, CBA officers detained the Lublin Superintendent of Education as part of an investigation into alleged abuse of authority for personal financial gain and unlawful interference in public procurement proceedings by officials of the Lublin City Hall and the Regional Education Authority.
On 27 May 2026, officers from the CBA’s Regional Office in Warsaw detained a woman and a man in the Greater Poland Voivodeship in connection with irregularities uncovered in administrative proceedings within the Poznań City Hall.
Among those arrested were an employee of the Poznań City Hall and the president of a real estate development company, suspected of providing benefits to the former Head of the External Arrangements Department of the Municipal Roads Authority in Poznań (ZDM).
According to the CBA, the detainees were brought before the Mazovian Regional Branch of the Department for Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor’s Office, where they were charged with a total of 10 offenses, including corruption and money laundering under Articles 228, 229, and 299 of the Penal Code.
This marks the fifth operational action carried out in the ongoing preparatory proceedings. To date, a total of 67 charges have been brought against 23 individuals in the Poznań case.
The CBA has also reported arrests in connection with an investigation into an organised criminal group involved in issuing and distributing fraudulent VAT invoices, with seven businessmen detained.
Additionally, acting on orders from the EPPO in Hamburg, CBA officers carried out searches as part of an investigation into an organised criminal group involved in VAT fraud.
Clean Air Programme fraud probe
On 24 June 2026, at the request of the EPPO in Katowice, law enforcement authorities detained two suspects as part of an investigation into possible fraud involving funds under the Clean Air Programme, with an estimated damage of €795,000 (PLN 3,420,614.77).
In a separate action on 25 March 2026, one suspect was arrested at Warsaw airport in connection with suspected misuse of funds under the same programme, as reported by the EPPO in Gdańsk.
Broader context of anti-corruption efforts
The series of arrests reflects intensified anti-corruption efforts in Poland, with both national authorities and European prosecutors working in coordination. The involvement of the EPPO in multiple cases highlights the cross-border dimension of alleged financial irregularities involving EU funds.
As noted in official communications from the CBA, the investigation remains ongoing in several cases, and law enforcement authorities have not ruled out further arrests.
