Polish Film Institute’s Recently Fired Former Director Facing Allegations of Mishandling Funds: ‘We Are Dealing With a Scandal’
variety.comMarta Balaga Radosław Śmigulski, the former director of the Polish Film Institute (PISF), is facing allegations of mishandling funds during his tenure after he was fired in April.
According to a statement shared by PISF with Variety, on Tuesday “a notice was filed with the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw on suspicion of a crime committed by the former director of PISF.” The notice concerns an alleged “attempt to extort money on a fictitious business trip, as well as the improper and inconsistent awarding of prizes and bonuses by the former director, Mr.
Radosław Śmigulski.” The institute has stated that the Central Anticorruption Bureau has been notified of the “suspected crime.” In another statement shared by PISF, Śmigulski’s alleged “illegal spending of the institute’s public funds for private purposes” included “paying for private court cases, the purchase of alcohol, undocumented catering services, improperly documented foreign trips, the purchase of gifts, perfume, cosmetics and clothing, and visits to nightclubs.” The institute also decided to publicly address Śmigulski’s rebuttal in an interview for local publication “Wprost,” entitled “Confession of the Former Director of PISF: I Spent PLN 150,000 on a Dinner in Los Angeles.” In the article, Śmigulski – who in the past made Variety‘s 500 list – admitted he wasn’t surprised by his firing. “I expected such behavior right after the result of the October elections,” he said.
Recent parliamentary elections ended the domination of the right-wing party PiS (Law and Justice). He also denied all the accusations.
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