Anna Kanigowska, the self-proclaimed caretaker of Jerzy Ż., rose to media fame following an interview with Onet, where she spoke about the controversial care arrangements surrounding the elderly man. Her story became ammunition in the political campaign against president-elect Karol Nawrocki. However, it has now emerged that Kanigowska was previously convicted of fraud and document forgery—a fact confirmed by the District Court in Gdańsk. The conviction has since been expunged. Kanigowska is now threatening legal action via attorney Roman Giertych.
Kanigowska cared for Jerzy Żywiecki from spring 2022 to spring 2023, according to her own account. She publicly challenged Nawrocki’s involvement in Żywiecki’s affairs and the apartment in question. In her Onet interview, she described allegedly poor living conditions the elderly man endured under Nawrocki’s care.
She also admitted to being the first to find the documents later cited by media outlets accusing Nawrocki. It was allegedly on her initiative that Jerzy was placed in a nursing home—despite reportedly opposing the move.
“While organizing Mr. Jerzy’s paperwork, I accidentally found a handwritten statement from Karol Nawrocki and his wife, in which Mr. Jerzy agreed to give them the apartment in exchange for care and support,” she claimed.
This statement quickly became a central point in anti-Nawrocki narratives, repeated for weeks across various media. Yet, none of those outlets apparently verified Kanigowska’s credibility.
Multiple Allegations
According to sources, Kanigowska faced several charges under the Polish Penal Code. Niezależna.pl confirmed these with both court and prosecution authorities, as well as her former employer and the Gdańsk city government.
Kanigowska was employed by the Polish Committee for Social Assistance and worked under contracts awarded by Gdańsk’s social welfare services. When asked why someone with a criminal past was assigned to elderly care, the organization responded:
“Lawyers are handling the matter. We cannot comment. Please send an email.”
The editorial team also contacted the City of Gdańsk, asking whether municipal authorities or their branches (like MOPS) were aware of Kanigowska’s past arrests and convictions. City spokesperson Daniel Stenzel replied:
“NGO task assignments are based on the Act on Public Benefit and Volunteer Work (April 24, 2003, Journal of Laws 2024, item 1491, as amended). The Act does not require a criminal record certificate.”
Legal Threats via Giertych
When first contacted weeks ago regarding her criminal past, Kanigowska abruptly ended the call. However, after receiving detailed court case references just days before the presidential runoff, her tone changed. She warned the outlet:
“You should show the truth about Mr. Nawrocki, not about me. I’m not running for office—I was just a social caretaker. I’m not a public figure… Do you even know what GDPR and expungement mean? I’m calling attorney Giertych right now.”
The apartment controversy surrounding Nawrocki became a central narrative in Rafał Trzaskowski’s campaign. It was treated similarly to other allegations—such as those relating to alleged pimping activities—also reported by Onet.pl. In that instance, Prime Minister Donald Tusk cited the words of controversial MMA fighter Jacek Murański. Onet based their claims on “two anonymous witnesses who take responsibility for their statements.”
Court Confirms Conviction
The Niezależna.pl editorial team received formal confirmation of Kanigowska’s conviction from the District Court in Gdańsk.
“According to information from the Gdańsk-Południe Regional Court, case II K 794/15 involved Anna Kanigowska, convicted of fraud and document forgery (Articles 286 §1 and 270 §1 of the Penal Code). She received a one-year prison sentence suspended for three years. The sentence was not executed, and the conviction was expunged under Article 106 of the Penal Code,” stated Judge Mariusz Kazimierczak.
As a result of expungement, Kanigowska is no longer listed as a convict in Poland’s National Criminal Register. However, Niezależna.pl continues to investigate whether she has faced other convictions or served prison time.