Corrupt official who syphoned off millions meant to aid Ukraine arrested in London
Accused of being part of a conspiracy that cheated war-torn Ukraine out of vital equipment, he is facing extradition to Poland.
A man accused of being part of a conspiracy that cheated war-torn Ukraine out of millions of pounds for vital equipment is facing extradition to Poland.
Michal Kuczmierowski, the former head of the Polish Government Agency for Strategic Reserves, was staying in a rented room above a grocery shop in East London when he was arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency last Monday.
It is understood the father-of-three, 45, had been in the UK for 10 days prior to his arrest, after arriving on a flight from Istanbul in Turkey. He is previously reported to have been in northern Cyprus.
The former top official is wanted in Poland to face trial over allegations the government agency he ran siphoned off millions of pounds of public funds from a host of contracts which were awarded without a legal tender process.
Prosecutors want to charge him with participating in an organised crime group, as well as exceeding powers and failure to comply with obligations in order to obtain financial gain.
The deals being probed were agreed by Kuczmierowski’s department between February 2021 and November 2023. They include a £96million EU-funded package to supply crucial power generators to Ukraine last year.
The equipment was designed to provide back-up energy for schools, hospitals and government buildings in the war-ravaged country. Polish prosecutors allege the generators were never delivered.
According to reports in Poland, some of the equipment was sent to its fire services to help boost Kuczmierowski’s election campaign last October, when he made a failed bid to become a MP for the-then ruling Right-wing Law and Justice Party.
Last Saturday, a European Arrest Warrant was issued by a Polish court to capture Kuczmierowski. It was forwarded to the National Crime Agency’s Extradition Unit who carried out last Monday’s operation.
Kuczmierowski appeared before Westminster magistrates on Tuesday for the start of extradition proceedings.
He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Kuczmierowski, who strenuously denied the claims against him, was remanded in custody. He is scheduled to face a full hearing in February next year.
Before his capture in London, Kuczmierowski told Polish media: “I am not fleeing from justice, nor am I seeking any refuge. I want to return to Poland when I have the guarantee of fair proceedings.”
At least two other officials from his agency have been charged as part of the same probe. The arrests are part of a purge against corruption led by Donald Tusk’s new Civic Platform government, which won the country’s elections.
