Nikodem Skotarczak is still known as the «godfather» of the Polish mafia. His life was closely connected to Tricity — Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot — and it was there that it came to an end. He was born in Gdańsk and spent most of his life there.
His criminal activities began with working as a security guard at «Mecenas» — a notorious buyer of stolen goods in Tricity. Later, Skotarczak moved to Budapest, where he was involved in currency operations and supplying goods to Poland.
In the mid-1970s, he created one of the first organized crime groups in the region, which was engaged in smuggling stolen cars from Germany and Austria. According to unofficial reports, it could have involved thousands of cars, which were often supplied under specific orders from influential clients of the PNR era.
At the same time, Skotarczak did not hide his lifestyle. On the contrary — he actively appeared in social circles, attending premieres, banquets, and festivals. In 1997, he even starred in the film «Sztos.» There are still photos in the media showing him interacting with Polish actors at film festivals in Gdynia.
On April 24, 1998, Nikos was shot in the Gdynia establishment «Las Vegas,» where he was celebrating his business partner’s name day. Two armed men in masks entered the premises, and one of them shot Skotarczak at close range. The killers were never identified, and the case was closed. It is believed that members of the «Pruszków» gang, with whom he had a conflict, may have been involved in the crime.
Scandals after the gangster’s death
Years later, the figure of Skotarczak continues to generate public and media interest. In 2021, the film «Jak pokochałam gangstera» was released, partially inspired by his biography. The film caused dissatisfaction from his widow, Edyta Skotarczak.
Later, a scandal erupted around the book «Spowiedź Nikosia zza grobu,» written by someone named Tadeusz Batyr. It turned out that this was a pseudonym for Karol Nawrocki — the President of Poland.
During the election campaign, it became known that he not only used the pseudonym when publishing Skotarczak’s biography but also gave interviews praising his own work. Nawrocki himself explained this as a desire to separate scientific activity from publishing, as well as safety considerations when describing criminal themes.
However, a conspiracy theory emerged online suggesting that Karol Nawrocki is the illegitimate son of Nikodem Skotarczak, which is why the president had a particular interest in him.
As reported by Onet, «Nikos’s» widow has been searching for the author since 2018, but the Zona Zero publishing house did not disclose contact details.
Edyta Skotarczak filed a lawsuit demanding an apology and 100,000 zlotys in compensation. She claims that the book revealed intimate details of her life, including information about a miscarriage, and contains offensive hints about her possible connection to prostitution. In particular, the text includes a fragment stating that she «traveled to Germany and Italy to improve her financial situation.»
In the plaintiff’s opinion, such formulations are defamatory and violate her personal rights.
The grave of Nikodem Skotarczak is located at the Srebrzysko cemetery in Gdańsk.
