In connection with the disclosed irregularities in the Governmental Agency for Strategic Reserves (RARS), on March 19, 2025, at the order of a prosecutor from the Silesian branch of the PZ PK, officers of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) arrested two more individuals. The case involves corruption in the procurement process for medical supplies and other items, including those related to counteracting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arrested Individuals and Charges
The arrested individuals are Arleta M. and Jarosław Ch., representatives of a business entity whose bids were favored in tenders organized by RARS. The prosecutor charged them with providing a significant financial benefit to Hubert B., the former director of the RARS Procurement Office. According to investigators, the benefit took the form of selling an apartment at an undervalued price and deferring payment until the end of 2031, constituting a violation of Article 229 § 4 of the Penal Code.
Details of the Corruption Scheme
The investigation revealed that a property purchased in September 2021 for PLN 2.2 million was sold to Hubert B.’s parents in May 2023 for PLN 1.444 million, indicating a significant undervaluation of the transaction. Additionally, from September 2021, Arleta M. and Jarosław Ch. allowed Hubert B. to use the apartment free of charge. During the same period, the company represented by the suspects secured 39 contracts from RARS, totaling more than PLN 279 million.
Additional Charges Against Hubert B.
The prosecutor expanded the charges against Hubert B., who had initially been indicted on October 9, 2024. The new charges pertain to accepting a significant financial benefit in the form of an apartment with a real value of PLN 2.43 million (Article 228 § 5 of the Penal Code).
Preventive Measures
Following interrogations and confrontations, the prosecutor decided to implement preventive measures. A request for pretrial detention was submitted to the Katowice-East District Court for Jarosław Ch., while Arleta M. was placed under a financial surety of PLN 500,000.
A total of 13 individuals have been charged in this case, including former RARS president Michał K., three other agency officials, and Paweł Sz. Preventive measures, including pretrial detention, are still being applied to three suspects.
The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement authorities do not rule out further arrests.
