A Polish fraudster who stole over €150,000 from businessmen in his own community by promising returns on investments of up to 73% has been jailed for three years.
Jakub Chrzanowsli (45) met the “investors” through a Polish business community meet-up group and promised “astronomical returns” or convinced them to hand over deposits after claiming he was acting as a middleman for Dublin City Council in the sale of properties.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that he spent a large amount of money on apps through iTunes.
Chrzanowsli, of Mount Symon Crescent, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to theft from a company and a named individual on dates between May 2017 and May 2018. He has one previous conviction.
Judge Martin Nolan said Chrzanowsli’s claims had been “too good to be believed” and he had stolen the money from the investors. He said Chrzanowsli was a man of ability who was very persuasive.
He said it was a slightly aggravating factor that it seems the other parties trusted him as he was the same nationality and he took advantage of that trust. He said the money had “disappeared”.
Judge Nolan noted Chrzanowsli had a company set up, but it was not controlled by the Central Bank. He took into account that Chrzanowsli has set up a payment schedule to repay his victims.
The judge said the mitigating factors included Chrzanowski’s guilty pleas, his lack of relevant convictions, that he had good points and was well capable of reform.
Judge Nolan sentenced Chrzanowsli to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended. He ordered that €9,000 the accused had brought to court be split between the injured parties.
Detective Garda Paul Kirwan told Fiona Crawford BL, prosecuting, that three men who were directors of a company paid deposits on property totalling €63,000 to Chrzanowsli.
One of the directors had met Chrzanowsli through a meet-up group for Polish entrepreneurs.
Chrzanowsli had claimed he was acting for Dublin City Council and was able to sell council properties not available on the open market direct to investors.
Gda Kirwan said official-looking contracts were drawn up and signed, but meetings took place in coffee shops or fast food restaurants. Every meeting with a woman purporting to be a council contact was cancelled at the last minute, which eventually aroused the investors’ suspicions.
The men contacted the council and they confirmed that they never sell property using a middleman but sell according to statute. The properties did exist but were not for sale.
The investors made contact with Chrzanowsli but no monies were returned at that stage.
Gardai were contacted and Chrzanowsli arrested. A solicitor he was claiming to use told gardai he had never been a client of theirs and they received no money from him.
Gda Kirwan agreed with Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL, defending, that a court instalment plan had been set up with €500 monthly instalments. He said €40,000 is outstanding.
Garda David Sheehy told Ms Crawford that the second victim, an individual, also met Chrzanowsli through the entrepreneurs group. He handed over sums totalling €114, 981 to Chrzanowsli who promised returns on his investment ranging from 10% in six months to 73% in 10 weeks.
Gda Sheehy said that again contracts were drawn up and the victim had satisfied himself that Chrzanowsli had a registered company, but later found it was not registered with the Central Bank.
The man was waiting on his return on investment and alerted gardai when it was not forthcoming.
Gda Sheehy told Mr Ó Dúnlaing that he could not confirm a payment schedule of €1,000 had been set up but said speaking to him four months ago he had received €2,000 back.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing said this was a scheme which was always going to unravel and come to light, as what was promised was not realisable. He said a 73% return on investment was too good to be true, that business meetings had been in locations such as Starbucks or handing money over in car park.
Judge Nolan remarked that sometimes people who are conned don’t report it as they are so mortified and embarrassed by their own stupidity.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing asked the court to take into account Chrzanowsli’s guilty plea which saved the State the time and expense of a trial in which it would be one person’s word against another. He said his client was a married man with two children and had health issues.
Counsel said his bank account showed a large amount spent on apps through iTunes. He said these were apps that that appeared to hook you in and to be a drain with €110 for each transaction.
Chrzanowsli’s counsel said he was in employment and asked for a non-custodial term to allow him continue repayments.