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    White-Collar Crime & Criminal Defence

    We protect companies and the people who run them — boards, managers and prokurents — in economic, tax and other criminal matters. From internal investigations and unannounced inspections (dawn raids) to defence before prosecutors and courts.

    Home Services White-Collar Crime

    Criminal-law risk increasingly touches everyday business decisions, and with it the exposure of the company and the people who run it. We stand on the side of the business and its people — protecting the company, its leadership and its reputation when a charge, an inspection or a signal of irregularity appears.

    We represent clients on two fronts: we defend when a charge has been brought or looms, and we prevent — building safeguards that reduce criminal exposure before it becomes a problem. While our core is economic crime, we also handle criminal defence for the client’s people beyond the economic sphere, where a matter relates to their role or the company’s activity. We work discreetly, with regard for business continuity.

    What we cover

    Criminal liability within the company

    Board & manager liability

    acting to the company’s detriment (Art. 296 CC) — abuse of powers or failure to perform duties when managing another’s property; mismanagement, exceeding authority.

    Economic fraud

    fraud (Art. 286 CC), credit and subsidy fraud (Art. 297 CC) in commerce and dealings with financial institutions.

    Offences against creditors & insolvency-related

    frustrating or diminishing creditor satisfaction, selective repayment (Art. 300–302 CC); board criminal risk in insolvency and restructuring.

    Financial & market crime

    Fiscal offences (Fiscal Penal Code)

    VAT (incl. VAT carousels, empty and fictitious invoices, refund fraud), excise, customs, remitter duties; misuse of subsidies and EU funds.

    Money laundering & AML

    Art. 299 CC; separately, breaches of AML duties by obliged institutions — we distinguish criminal from administrative liability.

    Market abuse

    insider dealing, manipulation, disclosure obligations (MAR).

    Corruption, procurement, cyber

    Commercial & managerial corruption

    managerial bribery (Art. 296a CC), corruption in private dealings; for cross-border matters also FCPA, UK Bribery Act, Sapin II (where applicable).

    Public-procurement offences

    bid-rigging (Art. 305 CC), abuse and corruption in tenders and procurement.

    Economic cybercrime

    theft of company funds and data, IT-enabled abuse, internal incidents with a criminal component.

    Proceedings & prevention

    Internal investigations

    investigative audit, handling whistleblower reports, establishing facts and preserving evidence.

    Inspections & searches (dawn raids)

    unannounced actions by prosecutors, CBA, KAS; protecting rights during the inspection.

    Criminal prevention, compliance & sanctions

    anti-corruption programmes, risk maps, staff training, sanctions and embargo compliance, liability of collective entities.

    When to reach out

    When your company receives a summons, notice or a decision presenting charges. When an unannounced inspection or search (dawn raid) takes place. When a whistleblower report or a signal of irregularity needs to be properly investigated. When a transaction, tax settlement or flow of funds may create criminal risk. The earlier — the more defence options and the lower the board’s exposure.

    How we work

    1

    Risk assessment & strategy

    we analyse the facts, criminal exposure and scenarios; we set defence priorities.

    2

    Immediate response

    we provide representation from the first contact with the authorities; we protect rights and documentation.

    3

    Internal investigation

    where warranted, we run an internal inquiry and recommend remedial action.

    4

    Representation

    we defend before prosecutors, courts and in regulatory and tax proceedings.

    5

    Remedial action

    we implement compliance and reduce the risk of recurrence of irregularities.

    Regulatory context

    We work at the intersection of criminal and business law: the Criminal Code (incl. Art. 286, 296, 296a, 299, 300–302, 305), the Fiscal Penal Code, the MAR market-abuse regulation, AML legislation, and the act on the liability of collective entities. The specific elements, thresholds and sanctions are always assessed against the current legal and factual state of your case — the final classification rests with the lawyer handling the matter.

    Who this is for

    Companies and capital groups and the people who run them — board and supervisory-board members, CFOs, prokurents and managers. We act on the side of the business and its people: protecting the company, its team and its reputation. We also support entrepreneurs and investors facing criminal risk connected with running a business.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is a board member criminally liable for business decisions?

    Not every wrong decision is a crime. What matters is the boundary of acceptable business risk and the elements of Art. 296 CC (acting to the company’s detriment).

    We help define and demonstrate it.

    What is “acting to the company’s detriment”?

    It is shorthand for the offence under Art. 296 CC: abuse of powers or failure to perform duties when managing another’s property or financial affairs, causing significant damage.

    Scope and defence depend on the facts, and the final assessment requires a lawyer’s analysis.

    What to do during an unannounced inspection or search (dawn raid)?

    Stay calm, do not obstruct, but contact defence counsel immediately — the first hours are decisive.

    We advise on protecting rights and documentation.

    Can a company — not just an individual — be criminally liable?

    Yes, under the act on the liability of collective entities — but this is neither automatic nor the same as personal liability and depends on statutory prerequisites.

    We therefore run the defence of the individual and the protection of the company as one coherent strategy.

    When is an internal investigation worthwhile?

    When a signal of irregularity appears (a whistleblower report, an anomaly, an inspection).

    Establishing the facts internally lets you manage risk deliberately and keep the initiative vis-à-vis the authorities.

    How does a fiscal offence differ from an economic one?

    Fiscal offences (Fiscal Penal Code) concern duties toward the tax authorities (VAT, excise, customs); economic offences concern commerce and market relations.

    In practice they often overlap — we run both tracks.

    Legal position: July 2026. The above is general information about our practice areas, not legal advice in an individual matter.

    Our experts

    Your economic-crime matter will be handled by advocates combining criminal defence with business and compliance practice.

    Kinga Miller

    Kinga Miller

    Partner, Advocate,
    Approved Compliance Expert, Approved ESG Officer

    Partner and advocate; combines litigation with compliance. Defends companies and management in economic and tax criminal matters.

    Contact KingaClick the card to see the full profile ›
    Oliwia Koper

    Oliwia Koper

    Associate, Advocate

    An advocate supporting business clients; in the white-collar area she handles defence, risk analysis and representation in proceedings.

    Contact OliwiaClick the card to see the full profile ›

    Facing an economic-crime matter or board-level risk?

    Let’s talk discreetly about your situation — we’ll assess the exposure and propose the next step.

    Contact us