Key Highlights
- Poland has formed a seven-member team of prosecutors to continue the Zondacrypto investigation and examine matters connected to the disappearance of founder Sylwester Suszek.
- The investigation covers suspected large-scale fraud, money laundering, crypto transfers and at least 350 million zloty in estimated damages.
- Several people have already been arrested or charged, while prosecutors continue examining possible political links and gathering new evidence.
Poland has formed a seven-member team of prosecutors in Warsaw to continue the investigation into cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto, formerly known as BitBay, over suspected fraud, money laundering and cryptocurrency transfers.
According to a local report, the team is led by Prosecutor Marek Wełna and began its work on October 1. They are also expected to examine the disappearance of exchange founder Sylwester Suszek.
Justice Minister and Prosecutor-General Waldemar Żurek said the team would take over a complex case that now covers several connected issues.
These include how Zondacrypto operated, how money and cryptocurrencies moved through the exchange and what investigators could establish about Suszek, who has been missing since March 2022.
How the Zondacrypto investigation began
The Zondacrypto investigation began in Katowice on April 17, 2026, after users reported problems with accessing or withdrawing funds.
Prosecutors opened the case over suspected large-scale fraud and money laundering and said the investigation covers activities dating back to 2022. At the time, the estimated damage was at least 350 million zloty.
One issue under investigation concerns the exchange’s reported loss of access to a cold wallet said to hold about 4,500 BTC.
According to prosecutors, the exchange had not had access to the wallet since 2022, while customers were allegedly not informed of the situation. Investigators are examining the wider operation of the exchange and the movement of funds connected to it.
Suszek’s disappearance joins the case
The case became broader on July 30, when prosecutors joined the Zondacrypto investigation with a separate case into Suszek’s disappearance.
Suszek founded BitBay, which later became Zondacrypto. Prosecutors said the circumstances surrounding the creation and operation of the exchange could be important to their work on the disappearance.
The investigation has already produced several arrests and charges. On September 5, police detained Roman Ż. after prosecutors said there was a risk that he could flee. Officers searched locations connected to him and secured valuable property and documents linked to Zondacrypto.
On September 7, prosecutors charged Roman Ż. with taking part in an organized criminal group and allegedly misappropriating at least 7.8 million zloty belonging to exchange users.
Prosecutors said the alleged actions involved unauthorized changes, removals and additions to computer data used by the exchange. Roman Ż. denied the charges and gave a statement. A court later ordered his temporary detention.
Other arrests and charges have also followed in September. The National Prosecutor’s Office’s timeline records actions involving several suspects, including Radosław Piesiewicz and people identified by initials under Polish privacy rules.
Prosecutors have also been investigating alleged attempts to take control of assets connected to Suszek.
The case reaches Polish politics
The case has also reached Poland’s political scene. Żurek said prosecutors were examining evidence concerning former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and people around him.
Testimony cited publicly by Prime Minister Donald Tusk included an allegation that Ziobro had discussed possible intervention in matters involving Zondacrypto and that money could have been moved through a foundation linked to his political circle.
Ziobro has denied having a direct relationship with former Zondacrypto chief Przemysław Kral. He said he had never spoken with Kral, while claiming that former Central Anti-Corruption Bureau officer Artur Chodziński had proposed financial support from Kral for a foundation associated with Ziobro.
Żurek said prosecutors would examine the claims before deciding whether any charges were justified. He also said investigators could seek the lifting of parliamentary immunity if evidence pointed to lawmakers, but stressed that testimony from one suspect would not be enough.
“Every new witness who wants to cooperate with prosecutors is really putting new evidence on the table,” Żurek said. He added that prosecutors wanted “hard evidence” before asking a court or parliament to make decisions on immunity.
Prosecutors continue the investigation
The new team now takes over as the investigation continues to grow.
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office said prosecutors are still collecting evidence and examining all parts of the case, while the authorities have also focused on securing funds that could later be used to compensate people who suffered losses.
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