Nearly 120 audits and inspections—this is the tally of investigations into irregularities in the operations of the ORLEN Group from January 2016 to February 2024. These audits revealed billions in losses due to managerial errors, resulting in additional notifications submitted to the prosecutor’s office. The current management board has made it a top priority to eliminate the negative consequences of past decisions, recover incurred losses, and implement a new strategy to ensure the company’s growth, independence, and energy security.
Audits and Inspections: Key Numbers
Since April 2024, the audit activities have included:
- Investigative audits conducted by specialized external partners,
- Internal audits and controls carried out by ORLEN employees.
To date, 118 audits and inspections have been conducted regarding decisions made between 2016 and 2024. These include 15 forensic audits by external auditing and law firms, and 103 internal audits and controls.
So far, 64 audit processes have been completed, while several dozen are still ongoing. Due to the continuing discovery of irregularities, more inspections are planned, which may also result in further referrals to the prosecutor’s office.
The current audits have led to numerous legal notifications, covering actions of the former management board and senior executives.
ORLEN Group companies have submitted 16 criminal notifications, including against the former CEO and other high-level managers. ORLEN is also participating in multiple other investigations, sharing audit findings with prosecutors. Some of these cases had been closed in the past but are now reopened by the prosecution, such as a case involving a foreign donation of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Findings from the Audits
The completed audits have confirmed many irregularities previously reported by the media.
Lack of Business Justification and Losses Approaching 1 Billion PLN
Auditors confirmed major irregularities in the acquisition of shares in Ruch, a press distribution company. The decision to buy the company was made before conducting any analysis or due diligence. Additionally, the restructuring plan was unrealistic from the start, a fact flagged early on by external consultants. As a result, ORLEN had to continuously inject capital into the unprofitable company—totaling nearly 950 million PLN, a sum auditors believe will be difficult to recover.
A criminal notification against two former ORLEN board members, including Daniel Obajtek, was submitted to the prosecutor’s office in late March 2025.
Millions Funneled to Company from Obajtek’s Hometown and Influence Peddling
Auditors found repeated violations of internal procedures to support companies and institutions linked to Daniel Obajtek’s hometown and his associates.
One example includes a hot dog sausage supply contract awarded to company W., which was added to the vendor list despite failing the required market screening process. The contract was awarded through a non-standard, closed procedure, and the audit revealed indirect ties between the company and Obajtek. The company’s CEO reportedly cited conversations with Obajtek and ORLEN board member Michał Róg when dealing with ORLEN staff.
A criminal report in this case was also filed in late March 2025.
Sponsorships and the CEO’s Apartment Deal
Two separate audits confirmed irregularities in the funding of a football academy and sports club linked to the owner of Profbud, the company from which Daniel Obajtek purchased an apartment in Warsaw’s Awangarda estate at a price significantly below market value.
During Obajtek’s tenure, ORLEN transferred over 2.25 million PLN to these institutions.
Findings were handed over to investigators at the end of March 2025.
Censorship in Media Outlets Acquired by ORLEN
Auditors found that the acquisition of Polska Press, a media publisher, may have had a political motive. During the 2023 election campaign, the company created mechanisms to block election advertisements from one side of the political spectrum while promoting the other.
A prosecutor notification in this matter is currently being prepared.
More Prosecutor Referrals Coming
Additional notifications to the prosecutor’s office are being prepared and will be submitted in the coming weeks. Audit findings point to:
- Violations of corporate governance standards,
- Abuse of authority,
- Business decisions made against market realities, exposing the company to losses,
- Misallocation of funds from both ORLEN companies and related foundations to people and institutions linked to board members or politicians from the former ruling party,
- Conflicts of interest,
- The existence of a “blacklist” of media outlets,
- Unjustified spending by board members,
- Unjustified purchases of services, including private investigation services.
The financial consequences of the former management board’s misguided decisions and questionable deals are still weighing on the company, with losses now estimated in the tens of billions of PLN.
Ensuring Energy Security While Cleaning Up the Past
Despite the ongoing audits, ORLEN’s current board continues working to ensure Poland’s energy independence and security. The foundation of this effort is the new ORLEN Group Strategy, which has become the most positively received strategic document in the company’s history.
Within the past year:
- ORLEN increased installed renewable energy capacity by 50%,
- Construction began on Poland’s first offshore wind farm, set to deliver electricity by 2026,
- The company secured over 10 billion PLN in funding for the modernization and development of the electricity distribution network.
Construction is also progressing on two CCGT power blocks in Ostrołęka and Grudziądz. Preparations are underway for additional units in Siekierki, Gdańsk, and Grudziądz II. These projects aim to ensure stable power supply during Poland’s energy transition until nuclear or hydrogen technologies reach full scale.
Source: CEO.com.pl
