Ex-European lawmaker and wife charged with influence peddling and corruption in Poland

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prosecutors in southern Poland have charged a former European Parliament lawmaker and his wife with corruption and influence peddling as part of a larger probe into irregularities in the operations of a private university in Warsaw. Ryszard Czarnecki is a prominent member of Law and Justice, Poland’s former ruling conservative party. Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s current government is seeking to bring to account its predecessor’s alleged mismanagement and other shortcomings. Prosecutor Tomasz Tadla said late Thursday that Czarnecki and his wife obtained about $23,000 from Collegium Humanum in return for promises of helping the university develop branches abroad, primarily in Uzbekistan. The pair, who were detained on Wednesday, denied any wrongdoing,