WHEN her beloved mum passed away from cancer two months after her devastating diagnosis, Patrycja Miszczuk felt like her whole world had fallen apart.
But her nightmare had only just begun, as she later discovered her heartless stepdad had squandered a £200k life insurance payout – on luxury holidays for his new girlfriend.
SWNSPatrycja Miszczuk was heartbroken after finding her stepdad squandered a £200k life insurance payout – on luxury holidays for his new girlfriend[/caption]
Patrycia lost her mum to cancer – just two months after she was diagnosedSWNS
Patrycja, 33, was horrified to discover Krzysztof Baczyński, 40, had spent all the money she and her son were due to inherit from her mum Anna Miszczuk, 45.
Baczyński burned through his wife’s cash in just nine months, spending it “as if it was his own” – leaving Patrycja and her sibling completely out of pocket.
He even spent the critical illness part of the payout while his wife was still alive.
A month after Anna’s death, Baczyński fooled Patrycja, who was the trustee of her insurance policies, into signing it over to him.
He then splashed the cash on lavish trips, jetting off to Tenerife, Poland and Russia with his new lover.
The brazen fraudster invited Patrycja on multiple holidays – pretending his flourishing business was footing the bill for the trips.
He also invested in a shop and used some money to prop up his failing business, which was part of a cosmetics pyramid scheme.
Patrycja grew suspicious when she suggested they dip into the money for rent, but Baczyński made “excuses” not to use it.
Baczyński (far right) burned through his wife’s cash in just nine months, spending it ‘as if it was his own’SWNS
SWNSHe even began spending the critical illness part of the payout while his wife was still alive[/caption]
He was caught out after taking photos of himself and his new partner “living it up” at fancy restaurants and enjoying a new hot tub.
In December last year Krzysztof Baczyński, of Wellingborough, Northants., was found guilty of one count of fraud at Northampton Crown Court.
He was jailed for four years and told he would be subject to a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing in a bid to claw back some of the money.
Patrycja, an administrator from Corby, Northamptonshire, said the revelation had “torn her family apart”.
“I don’t know how he could do something like this to us,” she said. ‘I have known him for most of my life – I never thought he was capable of this.
“Mum would have been so devastated if she knew. This money was for our future and now we have nothing left from it.
“It’s not just a couple hundred pounds he took from us – it was everything.”
‘Normal, happy family’
SWNSPatrycja pictured as a baby with her mum[/caption]
SWNSPatrycja was 16 when her mum married Baczyński[/caption]
Patrycja was 16 when her mum married Baczyński, and they lived together as family in Poland.
The couple moved to Corby, Northampton, in 2008, and after finishing school, Patrycja joined them in the UK.
She said: “After my parents got divorced, I wasn’t sure about Krzysztof to begin with. But I could see how happy he made my mum, so I accepted him.
“We were just a normal, happy family, who would do nice things together.”
I don’t know how he could do something like this to us. I have known him for most of my life – I never thought he was capable of this
Patrycja Miszczuk
In 2017 Anna started feeling tired all the time, and went to see her GP.
In August 2017, the family took a trip to Poland to see relatives, and Anna visited a doctor there. After several tests, Patrycja was heartbroken to learn her mum had stage four lymphoma cancer, a type of blood cancer.
By the time she was diagnosed, the disease had spread and was incurable.
Patrycja said: “They said the cancer was covering 80-90 per cent of her liver. I was in so much shock.
“She wanted to fight and have chemotherapy, but it was too far along. I felt so guilty for a long time, I should have known.”
The family returned to the UK, and after a short two-month battle, Anna sadly passed away on September 19, 2017.
Horrible shock
SWNSPatrycia saw how happy Baczyński made her mum, so she accepted him[/caption]
SWNSThe couple moved to Corby, Northampton, in 2008[/caption]
Patrycja and her younger brother, who does not wish to be named, were reassured by their mum that she had taken out a life insurance policy to ensure their future was secure.
The policy paid out £200,000 which was due to go to Anna’s son when he turned 25 and be shared with his sister.
However, a month after his wife’s death, Baczyński drained every penny into his own account.
Patrycja said: “I don’t really remember or know how he managed to get the money. A lot was going on after mum died, lots of paperwork.
“I don’t remember signing anything – maybe he hid it in other papers.
I don’t really remember or know how he managed to get the money. A lot was going on after mum died, lots of paperwork. I don’t remember signing anything
Patrycja Miszczuk
“I can’t believe all it took was one signature to take all of it out of the account – no ID, just that.
“I thought the money was sitting there, waiting for when we needed it.”
Baczyński spent the money on a car, various holidays around Europe, and invested significant sums in his own business. He even gifted some to his girlfriend at the time.
Patrycja said: “He invited me and my brother on holiday too – we met his new girlfriend for the first time in Russia.
“I just thought his business was doing well. He told us they were paying for everything, and I believed him.
“He wasn’t very smart, the way he spent that money. I think he thought it would never run out.”
‘Every penny was gone’
SWNSBaczyński spent the money on a car, various holidays around Europe, and invested significant sums in his own business[/caption]
The truth came to light when Anna became suspicious of Baczyński making excuses as to why they couldn’t access the cash.
Her brother eventually called the financial advisor and found out the money was all gone.
Patrycja said: “We told Krzysztof we should use the money – mum left it for times like this.
“He kept making excuses not to talk to us about it, saying things like, ‘I don’t have time right now,’ and ‘We’ll do it another time’.
“My brother called the advisor himself, and we found out what happened. I was so shocked to find out every penny was gone.
“I called Krzysztof and when I asked him, he went silent. He just hung up the phone.
He wasn’t very smart, the way he spent that money. I think he thought it would never run out
Patrycja Miszczuk
“My friends convinced me to call the police. I didn’t want to at first, I didn’t want to believe what he’d done.”
After a trial, His Honour Judge David Herbert KC told the court: “You don’t seem to be able to accept that was Anna’s children’s inheritance.
“It was her dying wish they received it to set them up for life.
“Your reckless attitude to the money is well summed-up by photographs of you living it up in restaurants and relaxing in hot-tubs.”
Baczyński was jailed for four years. Patrycia said: “My mum used to say, if you have problems you have to solve them, not just live with them.
“We won’t just sit around and cry about what happened. My brother suffered the most after what happened, but I think he’s doing better.
“The court case isn’t the outcome I wanted, he should have got longer.
”But we are doing our best to move on.”
SWNSPatrycia says her family is doing their best to move on[/caption]
Cancer types, signs and symptoms
Everything you need to know about different types of Cancer
Bowel cancer symptoms: What are they and when should I start to worry?
What is prostate cancer? Signs and symptoms of the condition
What are skin cancer symptoms and what does the disease look like?
How to check your breasts for signs of cancer
Stomach cancer: Symptoms, causes, and treatments
What is a brain tumour and what are the symptoms?
What does a cancerous mole look like?
What are esophageal cancer symptoms?
How to tell the difference between haemorrhoids and cancer
Are sunbeds safe and can they cause cancer?
What is glioblastoma and what are the symptoms?
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
