Suspected of corruption, Włodzimierz Karpiński, the former head of the capital’s MPO company and a former finance minister in a government led by the PO party, faces a 90-day detention as ruled by the Katowice-Wschód District Court.
The prosecutor’s office requested the arrest, citing, among other reasons, a high likelihood of involvement in the alleged offenses and the need to safeguard the integrity of the investigation.
Investigators accuse Karpiński (who agreed to provide his name to the press) of accepting a financial advantage connected with altering key procurement specifications and receiving nearly 5 million PLN in illicit payments.
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According to the prosecutor’s office, the suspect pleaded not guilty and made a statement to the court.
Włodzimierz Karpiński was detained on Monday by order of the Silesian branch of the National Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice, as part of an investigation into corruption and influence-peddling among other aspects.
The detainee’s lawyer, Michał Królikowski, indicated that his client had provided extensive testimony describing his role in a scheme that allegedly saved the capital around 300 million PLN through waste management measures.
Karpiński denied ever agreeing to influence-peddling claims on his behalf, and he stated he did not know whether such actions would occur.
Karpiński’s detention followed the February arrests of former deputy finance minister Rafał Baniak, along with Artur P., Wojciech S., and Waldemar K. in connection with a case tied to a criminal network that leveraged influence. The group is connected to contracts with the Warsaw MPO valued at roughly 600 million PLN in exchange for bribes nearing 5 million PLN.
By court order, Baniak and two entrepreneurs detained on the same day were also placed under a three-month detention period. His counsel noted that the former deputy minister did not admit to the alleged actions.
The prosecutor’s office links the corrupt practice to contracts for managing Warsaw’s waste and indicates the misconduct began in August 2020. Representatives from a prominent capital group aiming to participate in waste processing reportedly sought a agreement with Baniak.
As a consequence of the investigation, the capital group’s firms are said to have received substantial MPO Warsaw orders. In 2021–2022, these companies managed the capital’s waste and received MPO Warsaw orders totaling almost 600 million PLN.
The investigators claim that, in return for access to MPO city contracts, Baniak demanded a 5% commission from company representatives on the value of these orders. A mechanism was allegedly created by Baniak and the members of the capital group, including Artur P. and Wojciech S., to siphon off millions in expected financial gains.
According to the prosecutor, the latest tranche of a 300,000 PLN cash bribe was transferred to Baniak in December 2022. The prosecutors claim that, overall, those involved in the scheme stood to gain not less than 4.99 million PLN between January 2021 and December 2022, with payments made in cash during social gatherings.
The investigation continues to unfold as prosecutors work to piece together the full extent of the scheme and its impact on waste management contracts in Warsaw.
Note: The information provided reflects statements from the National Prosecutor’s Office and related authorities, as cited in official releases and reported coverage.