Collegium Humanum trial begins in Warsaw

The trial regarding the Collegium Humanum scandal has commenced at the District Court in Warsaw. Twenty-nine individuals face charges involving 67 offenses, including corruption, fraud, money laundering, and falsifying documentation. The investigation alleges that the university issued fraudulent MBA, bachelor's, and master's degrees in exchange for financial and personal benefits.

The defendants include politicians, university rectors, professors, and lecturers. Among those accused is the Mayor of Wrocław, Jacek Sutryk, who denies the allegations. Prosecutors claim Sutryk obtained an MBA through bribery, which allegedly allowed him to serve on the supervisory boards of state-owned and municipal companies, earning up to 500,000 PLN. Sutryk has stated he feels like a victim and maintains that the court, not politicians or journalists, will determine his guilt.

The case was transferred from Katowice to Warsaw following a decision by the Katowice Court of Appeal, citing the high number of witnesses residing in the capital. To date, investigators have brought a total of 403 charges against 82 individuals related to this ongoing investigation.