Part of the money that the Profeto Foundation received from the Justice Fund went to the private expenses of Father Michał O. – “Gazeta Wyborcza” reported on Monday. As we read, “there were also payments to his parents and to the company in which his lawyer and vice-president of the foundation have shares.” Millions of zlotys were supposed to go to “equipment for television production and socks.”
TVN24 does not provide the full name of Father Michał O. and does not show his face because the priest's representative did not agree to publish his image in our reports and materials
The National Prosecutor's Office has been conducting proceedings since February regarding the withdrawal of money from the Justice Fund. One of the main topics is a subsidy to the Profeto Foundation, run by priest Michał O. The priest and two officials – suspects in the investigation into the Justice Fund scandal – were released from prison in Warsaw on Friday afternoon. Earlier, bail was transferred to the prosecutor's account, which enabled this release – PLN 350,000 per person.
“Gazeta Wyborcza” writes on Sunday that in an attempt to determine the reasons for keeping the priest and the clerks in custody, the editorial team obtained key files in the case, including applications for arrest, court decisions that verified these applications and decisions on the presentation of charges. It was assessed that “they reveal a picture of the arrangement that was created around the Profeto foundation run by Father O. – the largest beneficiary of rigged competitions from the Justice Fund.”
Father Michał O.Fakty/TVN
Project “Archipelago”. “This is where most irregularities were discovered”
The Profeto Foundation received PLN 68 million from the Justice Fund. The money was allocated, among others, to: for the “Archipelago – islands free from violence” project, which assumed the construction by the end of 2022 and then the annual operation of a support center for crime victims on the outskirts of Warsaw's Wilanów.
As reported by “GW”, it was here that “most irregularities between the ministry and the foundation were discovered (Profeto – ed.)”. “Of the above-mentioned over PLN 68 million that Father O.'s foundation received from the Ministry of Justice in 2020-23, over PLN 55 million was spent on the construction of the center in Powsin near Warsaw. Examining the contracts concluded in connection with the subsidy, the prosecutor's office found that PLN 13 million PLN was spent for other purposes. It went, among others, to the pockets of private persons, the priest himself and his family,” we read.
As the daily writes, “investigators questioned 11 financial operations, some of which were carried out personally by Father O., and whose purpose and coverage in the accounts they have not yet been able to determine.”
Over the course of 3.5 years, Father O. allegedly withdrew over PLN 515,000 from an ATM, and also made a total of PLN 50,000. euro and 196 thousand PLN cash deposits in the bank. He also paid with a card linked to the Profeto foundation account, including in shops, restaurants, hotels and for train and plane tickets – in this way he spent PLN 1,74,000. PLN 800 – reports “Wyborcza”.
Money for Cultural Space and transfers for parents
According to the findings of “Wyborcza”, Father O. also donated PLN 678,000. PLN in cash to Radosław Grzybek, president of the company called Przestrzenie Kultury. Grzybek received further money directly from Profeto, PLN 212,000. PLN in cash and 245 thousand PLN in the form of transfers.
Przestrzenie Kultury is – as we read – a limited liability company, registered in Myślenice, dealing with “media production”. “The owner of most of the shares is the Family Pracownia Dobra Foundation, founded by Ewelina Z., vice-president of Profeto. Attorney Krzysztof Wąsowski, attorney-at-law of priest O., whose law firm serves Profeto, also has shares in the company. Wąsowski has been associated with the Church for years. He represented, among others, . parishes and religious congregations in the Property Commission, which returned land taken from them during the Polish People's Republic to religious organizations. Irregularities in this commission were the subject of the now forgotten Church Fund scandal, in which Wąsowski even faced charges, but they were quashed,” recalls “Wyborcza”.
The newspaper points out that the headquarters of the tax office that handled Profeto's accounting is also located at the same address as Przestrzenie Kultury. “Its owner is Małgorzata Obajtek. This is the close family of Daniel Obajtek, former president of Orlen, today a PiS MEP,” notes “GW”.
“Wyborcza” draws attention to two more payments made directly by Father O – to his mother's account (PLN 152,000) and to his father's account (PLN 100,000).
Millions for studio equipment
The next payment currently being investigated by the prosecutor's office is PLN 4,770,000. PLN that Father O. donated to the Warsaw company Framesound Production in 2023.
As we read, this company deals with, among others, equipping with specialized studio equipment. Bought from her, among others: video production equipment, stage mechanics, curtains, sound devices for the auditorium, audio control room, sound recording and reproduction devices, lighting, LED screens – lists “Wyborcze”. This is not the only money the company received from the Profeto foundation, at the beginning of the construction of the “Archipelag” center, PLN 1 million 100 thousand were transferred to its account. zloty. “GW” reports that Framesound received the investment order without a tender or tender.
Father O. explained that music therapy would be provided at the center and denied that it was used to run his own media.
As it was added, “millions also went” for “socks that he decided to sell via his website.”
Main photo source: Damian Klamka/East News