The Legnica Regional Court issued a verdict in a high-profile case involving the long-term embezzlement of public funds. 70-year-old Elżbieta P., who served as chief accountant, was sentenced to
According to investigators’ findings, the woman allegedly used her access to electronic banking and a qualified electronic signature for years to transfer funds belonging to the Poviat Building Supervision Inspectorate in Góra, Primary School in Jemielno and Primary School in Irządze.
More than one million zlotys in losses
The total amount of embezzled money was exactly PLN 1,288,363.03. As the court emphasized, this constituted property of considerable value, and the defendant had made the criminal activity a regular source of income.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a five-year ban on Elżbieta P. practicing as an accountant. The woman was also ordered to remedy the damage.
She is to return more than PLN 1 million to the Jemielno Municipality and nearly PLN 250,000 to the Poviat Building Supervision Inspectorate in Góra. The convicted woman will also have to cover the costs of the proceedings and pay a court fee.
The scheme lasted from 2009
The Legnica Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the crimes were allegedly committed from January 1, 2009, to February 17, 2025. During that period, Elżbieta P., as chief accountant, had full access rights to the bank accounts of the institutions she served.
Investigators established that she had access both to electronic banking and to a qualified electronic signature, which enabled her to authorize financial transactions.
It all came to light because of sick leave
The case came to light only in February 2025. At that time, Elżbieta P. was on sick leave, and an accountant hired as a replacement took over her duties.
It was she who discovered irregularities in the bank accounts. After finding the suspicious transactions, the principal of Primary School in Irządze reported a suspected crime.
When the media reported the accountant’s arrest and the ongoing investigation, other institutions began analyzing their own finances. Soon afterward, further reports were filed by the principals of Primary School in Jemielno and the Poviat Building Supervision Inspectorate in Góra.
She pleaded guilty
During the investigation, Elżbieta P. was charged and admitted to committing the crimes. According to information provided by the prosecutor’s office, the woman said she could not explain why she had committed these acts.
She was also unable to say exactly what she had spent the embezzled money on. She only claimed that she had provided financial help to her family. She added that no one around her had suspected her of criminal activity.
The verdict is not final
Embezzling property of considerable value and making crime a regular source of income carries a sentence of between one year and six months and 15 years in prison.
The prosecutor’s office assessed the verdict issued by the Legnica court—four years in prison—as justified. However, the ruling is not final.