The mayor of the southwestern Polish city of Wrocław was seized by anti-corruption officers on Thursday morning as part of an investigation into a college accused of fraudulently issuing MBAs to candidates for public office.
Jacek Sutryk became the 28th suspect detained in the case, with previous defendants facing a total of 150 criminal charges.
A spokesman for Poland’s national prosecution service said Sutryk would also be charged, though it was not immediately clear what he is accused of. Przemysław Nowak said more details would be revealed as the process unfolded.
Nowak said the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) had seized Sutryk at his home on the instructions of the organized crime division of the local prosecution service in connection with a growing scandal involving the private college Collegium Humanum.
Established in 2018 with its main campus in Warsaw, the college has branches in the southern Polish city of Rzeszów and Poznań in the country’s west, as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Uzbekistan. It has been under public administration since March amid accusations of fraudulently issuing diplomas.
The Polish edition of Newsweek reported in 2022 that Collegium Humanum was functioning as a degree mill as part of an international network of sham seats of learning.
In February 2024, the CBA launched an extensive investigation into the college, which has since rebranded as the ‘Varsovia’ University of Business and Applied Sciences, and in March its MBAs ceased to be formally recognized.
Legal changes introduced in 2017 resulted in an MBA being a prerequisite to serve on the management board of public companies. In many cases, such qualifications were allegedly issued by Collegium Humanum at short notice and at low cost.
In addition to board members, hundreds of civil servants and government officials, many of them linked to the current and previous governments, hold MBAs from the college, including Sutryk.
Among the suspects already charged in the case are a former rector and a one-time minister and MEP, Ryszard Cz., who has been charged with corruption.
A spokesman for Poland’s national prosecution service said Sutryk would also be charged, though it was not immediately clear what he is accused of. Przemysław Nowak said more details would be revealed as the process unfolded.
Nowak said the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) had seized Sutryk at his home on the instructions of the organized crime division of the local prosecution service in connection with a growing scandal involving the private college Collegium Humanum.
Established in 2018 with its main campus in Warsaw, the college has branches in the southern Polish city of Rzeszów and Poznań in the country’s west, as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Uzbekistan. It has been under public administration since March amid accusations of fraudulently issuing diplomas.
The Polish edition of Newsweek reported in 2022 that Collegium Humanum was functioning as a degree mill as part of an international network of sham seats of learning.
In February 2024, the CBA launched an extensive investigation into the college, which has since rebranded as the ‘Varsovia’ University of Business and Applied Sciences, and in March its MBAs ceased to be formally recognized.
Legal changes introduced in 2017 resulted in an MBA being a prerequisite to serve on the management board of public companies. In many cases, such qualifications were allegedly issued by Collegium Humanum at short notice and at low cost.
In addition to board members, hundreds of civil servants and government officials, many of them linked to the current and previous governments, hold MBAs from the college, including Sutryk.
Among the suspects already charged in the case are a former rector and a one-time minister and MEP, Ryszard Cz., who has been charged with corruption.
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