Ryszard Sobiesiak, an influential businessman from the gambling industry, is testifying before the parliamentary investigative commission on the so-called Black Jack scandal.

Sobiesiak is one of the main suspects in the gambling scandal, which involved Civic Platform politicians, such as former Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki, and the former head of Civic Platform Parliamentary club Zbigniew Chlebowski.

The businessman from the south-western city of Wroclaw and owner of Casino Polonia, has appeared before the commission with his attorney. Ryszard Bedryj appealed for removing the Law and Justice MP Zbigniew Wasserman from the commission, accusing him of not being objective, but members of the commission rejected the request.

Ryszard Sobiesiak was trying to persuade the commission that he was an honest man and had nothing to do with the Black Jack scandal. “Me and my family have become victims of slander and a media witch-hunt. My name has become an element of a political battle,” said Sobiesiak and added that Mariusz Kaminski, head of the Central Anti-corruption Bureau (CBA) is more harmful for Poland than him.

Black Jack scandal

The latest crisis broke out after the Anti Corruption Bureau (CBA) accused Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki and Zbigniew Chlebowski, head of the Civic Platform's parliamentary club, of lobbying on behalf of the gambling industry to oppose plans on increasing betting taxes - worth an estimated 500 million zloty - to fund preparations for the Euro 2012 football championships.

The scandal resulted in resignations of both Chlebowski and Drzewiecki, as well as deputy Prime Minister Grzegorz Schetyna, Justice Minister Andrzej Czuma and deputy Economy Minister Adam Szejnfeld. Mariusz Kaminski, head of the Central Anti-corruption Bureau (CBA) was dismissed by the PM. (mg/jb)