Nineteen members of a criminal organization which scammed Polish banks out of more than zł.1 million have been apprehended by the Central Investigation Bureau (CBŚ).

Among them is gang leader, 41 year old Krzysztof W. [surname withheld in accordance with Polish privacy laws] from Kalisz. The criminals are accused of forging documents and recruiting so-called “posts” – individuals in whose names credit documents were created.

Police from the CBŚ have been investigating the group over the past few months. During that time they were able to confirm that the leader of the gang was Mr W., a convicted robber.

He managed the organization like a well-functioning company, the Polish National Police said in a statement.

He has now been accused of running a criminal organization that swindled more than zł.1 million from 15 banks across the country.

The suspects have also been charged with attempts at scamming loans from banks, although the attempts themselves were unsuccessful.

The Polish National Police said the organization worked in cooperation with a number of employees of two loan brokerages. The suspected employees have also been arrested.

The gang forged documents of employment and salaries, using the names of existing firms. When bank employees tried to verify the information, telephone calls were redirected to the telephones of members of the criminal organization.

As a result, the apprehended have also been accused of identity theft.

Members of the criminal organization also impersonated employees of telecommunications companies in order to rewire telephone lines located around the companies under whose name they forged employment documents. The “workers” even entered the premises of some of those companies.

Police have seized computer programs, data carriers, electric equipment and the cars of the suspects.

The 19 individuals face up to 10 years imprisonment for their involvement in the organization.