Special Services

The fictitious trades of artefacts and the functioning of a „pyramid scheme” created within the Gallery New Form are under investigation. The organisers of the fraud were staying in Spain, where they had been hiding since at least 2019.

An arrest warrant, a European Arrest Warrant and an Interpol Red Notice were issued against Joanna S. and Mikael S. A large-scale operation of ABW that supervised the investigation of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Białystok and the Police Headquarters, enabled agents to determine the address of the wanted couple.

The material gathered in the course of investigation indicates that Joanna S. and Mikael S. organized a venture aimed at investing in works of art. The undertaking consisted of obtaining money from entities and natural persons for a specific period of time, with an interest rate defined in advance. Clients received information that their money would be invested in works of art. The investigation found out that many of these investments had not been secured with real artefacts. A major part of investors did not get their money back. They suffered losses estimated to amount to about PLN 1 billion (EUR 250 million). In total, from 1 November 2016 to October 2017 the detainees persuaded about 2 thousand people to conclude unfavourable agreements.

Spokesperson for the Minister Coordinator of Special Services