The Warsaw court has issued a European arrest warrant for Paweł Szopa, the founder associated with the Red is Bad brand, according to the court’s press service.
On September 6, 2024, the Warsaw District Court issued the European Arrest Warrant against Paweł Szopa under Article 607a of the Code of Criminal Procedure, as reported by the court’s official channel.
— This notice appeared on the court’s online platform.
Earlier, on August 22, the Neo-National Prosecutor’s Office announced new charges in the ongoing investigation into irregularities at RARS. The two additional individuals named were the former head of the Agency, Michał Kuczmierowski, and Paweł Szopa. The charges allege involvement in an organized criminal group and breaches of duties and powers intended to secure financial gains. At the prosecutor’s request, the Katowice-Wschód District Court granted arrest and search powers for Kuczmierowski, paving the way for an arrest warrant and a European Arrest Warrant. In a subsequent update, authorities confirmed that Kuczmierowski was detained in London.
The initial court did not grant detention for Paweł Szopa, concluding that the risk of fraud did not justify pretrial detention, particularly in light of Szopa’s request for safe conduct. The prosecutor appealed, and the appellate ruling favored detention.
On Monday, the Katowice District Court accepted the prosecutor’s complaint and ordered the businessman’s arrest for a three-month period. A search and arrest plan for Paweł Szopa was issued by the prosecutor’s office.
– Przemysław Nowak, spokesman for the neo-national prosecutor’s office, conveyed the update to PAP at that time.
RARS research
The investigation into irregularities at RARS began on December 1, 2023 and is being conducted by the Silesian division of the Organized Crime and Corruption Department of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice. The probe covers alleged overreach of authority and lapses in duties by RARS personnel in the organization and execution of purchasing activities, which, it is claimed, harmed the public interest by facilitating financial gain from February 23, 2021 to November 27, 2023 in Warsaw.
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PAP/as above
Attribution: information summarized from wPolityce reports and official court communications; developments are part of ongoing public criminal proceedings in Poland.
Note: These updates reflect court actions, prosecutorial decisions, and the status of related investigations as they were publicly disclosed during the period referenced above.