Ryszard Bogucki Release & Compensation Claim

• Ryszard Bogucki is released on January 8, 2026.
• He intends to fight to regain his property and good name.
• He was the hero of high-profile criminal cases in the 1990s, including the “Pershing” murder.

Ryszard Bogucki, who served a quarter of a century in prison for the murder of a well-known gangster, will soon be released from prison. Although he was convicted of murder many years ago, he still emphasizes that he is not guilty. Meanwhile, he tried to clear his name.

As reported by “Fakt”, after being released, Bogucki wants to take care of his family first. He also plans to continue the fight for compensation and to recover his assets, which were once estimated at over PLN 1 billion. It is worth emphasizing that so far he has only obtained 30,000. PLN compensation from the Polish state.

His lawyer, Paweł Matyja, emphasizes that this is not only a fight for property, but above all for Bogucki’s good name. – Recovering a good name is the most important thing – said Matyja.

Bogucki, who had a reputation as an excellent entrepreneur in the past, does not rule out returning to business. He claims that thanks to the experience he has previously gained, he could be successful again if he decides to take such a step.

As his words showed, he is full of determination to fight the injustice that he claims has affected him. – Human dignity is priceless – Bogucki said in court.

Born in 1969, Ryszard Bogucki was a well-known entrepreneur in Silesia in the 1990s, dealing with, among others, car trade. In 1992, he opened a luxury car showroom in Chorzów and sponsored a beauty contest. Shortly afterwards, he heard the first charges – regarding fraud and misappropriation of property. While in custody, he met Ryszard N., alias Ryszard N., from Podbeskidzie. “The Butcher” (with whom years later – according to the final verdict – he committed the assassination of “Pershing”).

When Bogucki was released and was free to answer in the trial concerning economic crimes, he stopped appearing at the hearings. The first arrest warrant was sent for him. In 2000, the Katowice prosecutor’s office sent an international arrest warrant for him – the findings of the investigation showed that it was Bogucki and “Rzeźnik” who shot “Pershing” in Zakopane in December 1999. In 2001, Bogucki was detained in Mexico, which extradited him to Poland.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the intention to kill “Pershing” arose in October or November 1999. The motive for the crime was the desire to advance in the criminal hierarchy. Bogucki was convicted in the “Pershing” case in 2003 by the court in Nowy Sącz; the 25-year prison sentence became final in 2004.

According to the evidence, Bogucki, “Rzeźnik” and Adam K., alias “Grandpa”, who later became a crown witness (now deceased). The three of them were waiting for “Pershing” in a previously stolen car in a parking lot in Zakopane.

When “Pershing” who was finishing his skiing approached his Mercedes, “Rzeźnik” and Bogucki got out of the car and approached the victim. It was Bogucki who shot at “Pershing”, Ryszard N. stood still and fired shots upwards to scare away witnesses – according to final judgments. N., also a defendant in a separate trial, was later sentenced to 25 years in prison. For inciting this crime, Mirosław D., alias “Malizna”.

Since 2003, Ryszard Bogucki was also suspected of inciting and participating in the murder of Papala, shot in Warsaw on June 25, 1998. The same charges were brought in November 2005 against the alleged head of the Pruszków gang, Andrzej Z., alias “Nightingale”. In July 2013, a Warsaw court acquitted Bogucki and “Słowik” of these charges. The court criticized many actions of law enforcement agencies in the case and considered the evidence to be “fragile”. This judgment is also now final.

Testifying in the “Rzeźnik” trial, Bogucki told the court that he was convicted of the murder of “Pershing” so that he could be implicated in the murder of General Marek Papala. He argued that he had been falsely slandered in both cases.