70-year-old accountant robbed schools and an office for 16 years. Nearly PLN 1.3 million disappeared

The District Prosecutor’s Office in Głogów has filed an indictment against 70-year-old chief accountant Elżbieta P. Investigators accuse P. of having “misappropriated a total of PLN 1,288,363.03 from the accounts of the entities she served: the District Construction Supervision Inspectorate in Góra, Primary School in Jemielno and Primary School in Irządze over a period of 16 years.” According to the prosecutor’s office, the woman made the scheme a permanent source of income.

– The above-mentioned woman committed the offences between January 1, 2009, and February 17, 2025, in Irządze, Góra and Jemielno – explains Liliana Łukasiewicz of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Legnica. – As chief accountant, she was authorized to access the bank accounts of the aforementioned entities and had access to electronic banking and a qualified electronic signature.

It was established that P. misappropriated a total of PLN 249,909.21 to the detriment of the PINB in Góra, and a total of PLN 1,038,453.82 to the detriment of both schools.

How did the case come to light?

Spokeswoman: – The case came to light when Elżbieta P. went on sick leave in February 2025. Irregularities in the accounts were detected by an accountant employed there as a replacement. The principal of Primary School in Irządze then filed a report of suspected criminal activity.

Following press reports about P.’s arrest and the proceedings underway, the heads of other entities checked whether any irregularities had occurred at their institutions. The principal of Primary School in Jemielno and the director of the PINB in Góra subsequently filed further reports of suspected criminal activity.

Prosecutor:

During the investigation, Elżbieta P. was charged. She admitted to committing the alleged act and explained that she did not know why she had committed these acts, as she had always worked hard and earned a lot. She was also unable to say what she had spent the money on. She said that she had provided financial assistance to her family. She explained that none of her friends or family suspected that she could commit a crime.

The woman faces up to 15 years in prison.