KNF's former head charged with corruption, held for two months

Marek Chrzanowski who resigned from his post earlier this month, denies any wrongdoing. Anti-corruption agents initially detained him earlier this week. He is accused of asking Getin Noble Bank to hire a specific lawyer and pay him a salary equal to 1 percent of the bank's capitalisation, around $10.5 million, in return for "support" for the mid-tier lender.

The former head of Poland's financial market regulator, KNF, has been charged with corruption and placed in custody for two months after a court granted a temporary detention order, his lawyer said on Thursday.

Marek Chrzanowski who resigned from his post earlier this month, denies any wrongdoing. Anti-corruption agents initially detained him earlier this week.

He is accused of asking Getin Noble Bank to hire a specific lawyer and pay him a salary equal to 1 percent of the bank's capitalisation, around $10.5 million, in return for "support" for the mid-tier lender.

"The court implemented a temporary detention for two months. We will appeal to this decision as soon as possible," his lawyer, Radoslaw Baszuk, told private broadcaster TVN 24.

Chrzanowski, a former central banker, was nominated to his post in 2016 by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.