Ryszard Bogucki, once one of Poland’s richest men and a symbol of 1990s wild capitalism, left the Herby Penal Facility today. After serving his full 25-year sentence for the murder of Andrzej Kolikowski, aka „Pershing”, the boss of the Pruszków mafia, the man is returning to a world that has changed dramatically. He never admitted guilt, and his first words after leaving sound like a manifesto of a new beginning. What does he plan now? And why did he change his surname?
Bogucki walked out of prison on Thursday, 8 January 2026, greeted by his family and surrounded by a crowd of journalists. Footage from the scene shows the man, dressed in an elegant suit, walking through the prison gate and briefly answering media questions.
„Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Above all, it is a time to meet my family” – Bogucki said, asking for his privacy to be respected. He did not want to discuss his past, focusing instead on the future.
Who is Ryszard Bogucki? In the 1990s, he was the embodiment of success in the new Poland. A businessman from Rybnik, he built a fortune in trade, importing cars and electronics, among other goods. He drove a Ferrari Testarossa, sponsored the Miss Polonia contest and was seen as one of the wealthiest citizens in the country. His life changed dramatically in 1999, when Andrzej Kolikowski, aka „Pershing”, was shot dead in Zakopane while on holiday. Pershing was one of the leaders of the Pruszków mafia, a criminal group that controlled drug trafficking, extortion and smuggling in 1990s Poland.
Bogucki was charged with inciting this murder. The trial dragged on for years. In 2007, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, although he never admitted guilt. He claimed he had fallen victim to a judicial error. He was also suspected of the murder of General Marek Papała, but was acquitted in that case in 2013. He served his full sentence, without early conditional release, which is rare in the Polish penitentiary system.
Before leaving prison, Bogucki changed his surname to Ryszard Linard-Bogucki. The reason? Its similarity to the name of Zbigniew Bogucki, head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland. „I do not want to be associated with someone else” – he explained in court documents. Now, at the age of 63, he plans to „learn how to live anew”. His family has waited for him for a quarter of a century, and his wife and children are to be a priority. But that is not all: Bogucki promises to fight for his good name. He intends to pursue compensation worth millions for the unjust accusations and the years spent behind bars. „I will seek redress” – he said in interviews before his release.
There is no shortage of speculation about what comes next. Will he return to business? In the 1990s, his empire rested on connections and boldness; today the world means smartphones, cryptocurrencies and the global economy. „He wants to do business again” – media report, citing his circle. But will the former „gangster from Rybnik”, as he was nicknamed, find a place in the new Poland? His story is a reminder of the turbulent years of systemic transformation, when fortunes mixed with crime.
Bogucki’s release is stirring emotions, from curiosity to controversy. One thing is certain: after 25 years of isolation, this man has a second life ahead of him. Will he reveal the secrets of the Pruszków mafia? Time will tell.
