A corruption scandal has erupted at the Pomeranian Voivodeship Office. The case concerns one of the employees of the institution, who, according to the investigation, accepted bribes in exchange for expediting the procedures for legalizing the stay of foreigners in Poland
Earlier, in November 2024, a woman was detained along with four other individuals. Now the police have arrested four more people.
— All those detained are citizens of Ukraine. Sergey L., Ekaterina P., and Svitlana T. have been charged with bribery for assistance in resolving administrative issues. Ekaterina M. is accused of receiving money for using alleged influence in various institutions, — reported Mariusz Dusiński, prosecutor of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk.
By the prosecutor’s decision, the suspects have been subjected to preventive measures not involving deprivation of liberty: police supervision, a ban on contact with other individuals involved in the case, as well as the payment of a monetary bail. The crimes charged carry a penalty of imprisonment for a term of 6 months to 8 years. The investigation is ongoing, and new arrests cannot be ruled out.
As previously reported, the investigation established that the official had been systematically receiving bribes since at least 2022 for expediting the issuance of administrative decisions regarding the legalization of residence in Poland. It is estimated that her illegal income could amount to no less than 30,000 zlotys per year. In November, 51-year-old Adriana S. was charged with obtaining property benefits. She and three other individuals were arrested for three months.
