Police officers from Rzeszów have broken up an organised group that conducted illegal fundraising under the guise of charitable foundations and used teenagers to do it. 13 people were detained, and two leaders have been placed in custody.
How the group operated
According to a statement from the Podkarpackie Police, published on Friday, 6 November, the group operated across several voivodeships. Its members built a network of contacts, recruited minors, and organised transport and logistical support for them.
They posed as collectors for various foundations. The minors collecting money were aged roughly 14–18. According to the police, their appearance and circumstances were meant to inspire trust and sympathy among donors, while the money was meant to flow to members of the group. The police determined that the exploitation of minors met the criteria of human trafficking.
The late-October operation
The investigation, conducted since the beginning of 2026, is supervised by the National Prosecutor’s Office – the Podkarpacie Branch Office of the Department for Organised Crime and Corruption in Rzeszów. Investigators worked together with the Criminal and Investigative Division of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Rzeszów.
In late October, several dozen police officers simultaneously entered selected locations in Rzeszów and other voivodeships. 13 people aged 18 to 44 were detained. Two of them hold Polish citizenship, while the rest are Ukrainian citizens. One of the group’s bosses was detained in Poznań.
Officers seized luxury cars, cash in various currencies, and other assets worth a total of approximately PLN 435,000.
Charges and custody
Those detained were charged, among other things, with participation in an organised criminal group, human trafficking, fraud, and money laundering. At the prosecutor’s request, the District Court in Rzeszów imposed three-month temporary detention on the two leaders, aged 22 and 23. The remaining suspects were placed under police supervision, a ban on leaving the country, and property bail.
The police did not disclose the names of the foundations the suspects impersonated, nor the total amount of money collected.
