H-Systems founder, Petr Smetka, begins 12 year sentence

Units from the anti-corruption police division arrested Petr Smetka in Prague mid-day Friday, on the basis of a court order. Mr. Smetka was transported to Pankrac prison where he begins serving a 12-year sentence for his role in an embezzling scheme. According to the Prague Municipal Court, the extraordinary order to have Mr. Smetka taken into custody came after he disobeyed a June court ruling, preventing him from accessing assets set aside to compensate clients who lost money when H - System, a construction company that Mr. Smetka founded, went under. At least 1095 people lost a total of over 980 million crowns (nearly $44 million US) in the fraud scheme.