According to investigators, the businessman allegedly caused over five thousand injured people to dispose of their property unfavorably. The total amount of damage caused by the fraud is PLN 70 million. At the same time, two of Janusz Palikot's associates heard the same accusations. These are Przemysław B. and Zbigniew B., presidents of the Capital Group companies.
Devil's paw Janusz Palikota in Lublin
“Gazeta Wyborcza” reminds that the Devil's Paw restaurant was supposed to be Janusz Palikot's newest business in Lublin. The businessman intended the restaurant to be the most important point on the city's culinary map, but its opening was postponed several times. The operating companies changed, but Palikot was always behind them.
The restaurant with a name referring to the legend operated in Lublin continuously from the late 1950s until 2020, when the One Lewak company closed its operations due to the coronavirus pandemic, although in 2018 “kitchen revolutions” were carried out in the restaurant by Magda Gessler . After the pandemic, the Lublin Municipal Utilities Company started looking for a tenant. The winner was Alembik Lublin, which offered PLN 100 per month for rent per square meter. The premises have 473 sq m. The majority shareholder of the company is Janusz Palikot. As reported by the portal Jawny LublinAlembik was to pay PLN 58,000 to LPGK every month. PLN gross. The security was a three-month deposit in the amount of PLN 174.5 thousand. zloty. The lease agreement was to be valid until January 2026.
This was supposed to be Palikot's new crowdfunding idea
As “GW” writes, “The Devil's Paw” was supposed to be another crowdfunding idea of Janusz Palikot. “Fashionable restaurants were to be established in the very centers of the largest Polish cities, where alcohol would be produced on site,” we read. Przemysław B., who was detained last Thursday together with Janusz Palikot, became the president of Alembik Lublin. According to the declaration owners the premises in Lublin were to be opened in 2022, but despite subsequent announcements, the business has not started. Przemysław B. explained to “Gazeta Wyborcza” two years ago that the opening of the premises was postponed also due to the unexpected scale wash renovation works, which had to be carried out under conservator's supervision. However, later the Alembik company stopped paying rent and the lease agreement with it was terminated. “But Janusz Palikot did not give up. He announced that he would take part in the next tender. He wanted to recover the expenses already incurred, which he estimated at almost PLN 8 million,” reports “GW”.
The Lublin Public Utilities Company announced a new tender for the rental of “Czarcia Łapa”, which was settled in June this year. It was won by Kraft Alkohole, a company associated with Janusz Palikot, offering a price of PLN 140 per square meter. Its head is Przemysław B. – The bakery, delicatessen and production will definitely stay with us. alcohol on site. The restaurant itself will be a high-quality bistro, where we will present Polish cuisine with all its influences again – Przemysław B. recently told the Jawny Lublin website. He added that Janusz Palikot would be personally involved in the business. – One day a week he will be a waiter at “Czarcia”, and one day he will cook original dishes known from his social media. Of course, there will be special tastings, but the Palikot service itself will be a great experience – announced Przemysław B. However, Życie decided to write a different scenario and the one announced by Przemysław B was not implemented.
Detention of Janusz Palikot and charges
Let us recall that Janusz Palikot, Przemysław B. and Zbigniew B. were detained last Thursday. The prosecutor brought eight charges of fraud and misappropriation of property against the former MP. According to investigators, fraud occurred during a loan campaign conducted by companies from the Capital Group and during the issue of shares by these companies. The documents presented false information and misled the victims as to how the money paid by investors was used and as to the actual financial condition of the companies. The invested funds were not allocated for the purposes indicated in the issue documents, but were spent to cover the previous liabilities of companies from the Capital Group that were in a bad financial situation.
The allegation of misappropriation concerns property in the form of alcoholic beverages with a total value of over PLN 5 million. The suspects, in connection with a cooperation agreement concluded with one of the companies, stored alcoholic beverages in their warehouses, did not return the goods after termination of the agreement and sold them to external entities. The allegations covered the period of operation of the companies from the Capital Group in the years 2019-2023. The prosecutor filed a request for pre-trial detention against Janusz Palikot. The decision is expected to be made on Saturday. However, Przemysław B. and Zbigniew B. were placed under supervision policeban on leaving the country, property bail and ban on contacting witnesses.