A fifth suspect has been arrested in the Zondacrypto exchange probe, facing serious charges of organized crime and fraud.
Key Points
- Roman Ż. has been placed in pretrial detention following charges of organized crime and computer fraud.
- Three accomplices were detained last week for allegedly attempting to seize assets from Zondacrypto founder Sylwester Suszek.
- Allegations include the illegal transfer of nearly €8 million from the exchange to finance real estate purchases in France.
In a significant development in the Zondacrypto cryptocurrency exchange investigation, Polish authorities have detained a fifth suspect, Roman Ż., following a court's approval for his pretrial detention. Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek announced the decision on Monday, revealing that Roman Ż. faces serious charges, including participation in an organized criminal group and misappropriation of client funds through fraudulent activities.
The court has agreed to the prosecution's request for his temporary arrest, as outlined in a statement by Żurek.
The court has granted the prosecution's request for the temporary arrest of Roman Ż.
— Waldemar Żurek (@w_zurek) September 7, 2026
Prosecutors allege that the organized group manipulated the exchange's operational data to illicitly withdraw at least 7.8 million złoty (about $2 million). Should he be found guilty, Roman Ż. could face up to a decade in prison. He was apprehended in Silesia over the weekend, where authorities also seized documents linked to the exchange. He has denied all allegations and claims his innocence.
Background on Zondacrypto
Zondacrypto, which was launched as BitBay in 2014 by Sylwester Suszek, rebranded after moving its registration to Estonia in 2020. The exchange has claimed a user base of 1.3 million clients, predominantly from Poland. Prosecutors assert that the organized crime group was active from 2020 to 2026, aiming to take control of Suszek's assets.
In April, the exchange abruptly halted withdrawals and ceased operations. Following Suszek's disappearance in March 2022, his successor as CEO, Przemysław Kral, has not been seen since mid-April after stating that the exchange held 4,500 BTC that was accessible only to Suszek. The Estonian financial authority revoked the license of BB Trade Estonia on June 29, amid the ongoing investigation.
Earlier, three individuals—Anna P., Jaromira W., and Rafał Z.—were also detained and are facing charges related to the unauthorized transfer of funds and other financial crimes. They are implicated in moving nearly €8 million from the exchange to acquire property in France, falsely documenting a €2.9 million loan as repaid, and laundering funds through fictitious real estate transactions. They too have denied any wrongdoing. The Katowice regional prosecutor's office has been investigating extensive fraud and money laundering activities since April, receiving a multitude of complaints in the process.
