Poland's ambassador to France has been formally charged in an investigation into allegedly fraudulent academic credentials, the National Prosecutor's Office has said.
Jan R., who serves as Poland's envoy in Paris, was detained shortly before the Christmas holidays and faces four criminal charges in the so-called Collegium Humanum case, Polish Radio reported on Monday.
Prosecutors alleged that he paid more than 9,000 zloty ($2,506) to the university's rector in exchange for a falsified postgraduate Executive MBA (EMBA) diploma.
According to the investigation, the diplomat later used the allegedly forged document when applying for a position on a bank supervisory board.
He was detained earlier this month by Poland's Central Anti-Corruption Bureau and has since been temporarily relieved of his duties at the Polish Embassy in Paris.
The case also involves several other suspects, including former Law and Justice (PiS) lawmaker Maks K., Paula G., and businessman Pawel P. Prosecutors accuse Maks K. of claiming influence within Poland's Ministry of Education and Higher Education to facilitate the falsification of a psychology degree for Paula G.
Paula G. is charged with assisting the rector of Collegium Humanum in issuing the fake diploma, while Pawel P. is accused of providing financial benefits to the rector on three occasions in exchange for fictitious EMBA diplomas.
In total, four suspects face 15 charges. All have been questioned by prosecutors. If convicted, those charged could face prison sentences of up to 10 years, prosecutors said.
Collegium Humanum, a private higher education institution at the center of the investigation, was rebranded in mid-2024 as the Varsovia School of Business and Applied Sciences.
