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

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.

(With inputs from agencies.)