Former president of Optimus arrested on accusations of corporate tax fraud

Roman K., one of the richest men in Poland, who was also the former president and owner of the computer firm Optimus, together with two other people connected with the company, were arrested by police yesterday. "We will decide over the next 48 hours what to charge him with. We will present an official statement at about 2p.m. tomorrow. Today, I can only say that one of the charges is connected with fiscal crimes amounting to several million zloty," said the spokesperson for Krakow prosecutor Wojciech Miloszewski. Other charges that may be pressed are those connected with the accounting methods used in Optimus to conceal the fraud. The tax authorities discovered that overdue tax for computers delivered to the Education Ministry amounts to zl. 18 million. The Polish Press Agency (PAP) said that the charges may be connected with improper VAT returns amounting to zl. 8 million. Gazeta Wyborcza, believes that the charges may be connected with fictional sales of computer hardware and software between partnerships financially connected with Optimus. Company shares fell by 12% yesterday (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 5; Gazeta Wyborcza, pp. 1, 17) M.M.