On Wednesday, January 31, the District Court in Legnica sentenced the former parish priest of the basilica in Legnickie Pole (Legnica poviat, Lower Silesian Voivodeship) to two years of absolute imprisonment. The priest spent over PLN 1.2 million from the parish budget on cryptocurrencies.
A judgment has been passed regarding a priest who issued parish subsidies for cryptocurrencies. “The goal was to buy bitcoins”
The case of unusual misappropriation of parish money dates back to July 2022. In just four days, over one million two hundred thousand zlotys disappeared from the parish account. The money came from subsidies granted by the Ministry of Culture and the commune and was to be used for the renovation of the 18th-century Basilica of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Saint. Jadwiga Śląska. The church in nearby Gniewomierz was also supposed to benefit from the funding.
However, the former parish priest invested in cryptocurrencies. – He used these funds as part of the grant for a specific purpose, this purpose was to purchase bitcoins – he quotes Bartłomiej Treter, judge of the District Court in Legnica. When announcing the verdict, the court found that the act in this case was highly harmful to society. For misappropriating and then losing parish funds by inappropriately investing them in cryptocurrencies, the former parish priest was sentenced to two years of absolute imprisonment. The judgment is invalid.
Difficult situation of the parish in Legnickie Pole. “Enforcement proceedings have been initiated against her”
However, the problem does not end there, because the parish is obliged to return the funds it received from the grant. After the clergy’s unsuccessful investment, the account was almost wiped out, which even more ruins the chances of renovating the basilica. – The parish is in a very difficult situation. Enforcement proceedings have been initiated against her by the mayor of the Legnickie Pole commune, and she is afraid of such proceedings from another creditor (Ministry of Culture and National Heritage – ed.). But at the same time, the accused was ordered to pay compensation for the damage – he quotes the statement of the parish’s representative, legal advisor Piotr Wanic.
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
