Former PM’s son testifies in pyramid scheme case

Michał Tusk, who testified on Wednesday, was employed by airline OLT Express, a subsidiary of Amber Gold.

His father Donald Tusk, who is currently serving as president of the European Council, was prime minister of Poland at the time.

The deputy chairman of a special commission set up to investigate the case has asked whether by employing Michał Tusk, Amber Gold thought this could provide an “umbrella” of immunity against government interference.

Amber Gold had promised customers high returns on investments in gold, but the firm folded in August 2012.

According to criminal records, 19,000 customers were swindled out of a combined sum of PLN 851 million (EUR 200 million) at the time.

The company, which advertised itself as providing legitimate financial services, had been been placed on a watchlist by the Polish KNF financial watchdog many months ahead of its bankruptcy. The owner of the company has since been handed a prison sentence.

Michał Tusk told the commission: “I knew that Amber Gold had been placed on the KNF watchlist in November 2011, when I was doing an interview" with the company owner.

'Deliberate action'

The deputy chairman of the parliamentary commission investigating the case, Law and Justice (PiS) MP Marek Suski, said that the members of the commission wanted to find out whether Michał Tusk’s employment in OLT Express was a “deliberate action” to create a “protective umbrella” over the owner of the company.

The head of the commission, Małgorzata Wassermann, has said that the OLT Express airline was used to launder money.

European Council head Donald Tusk will next spring be questioned by the commission.

Tusk was the prime minister of Poland from 2007 until 2014, when he resigned to become president of the European Council, a key European Union leadership position. (rg/pk)