Poland charges fifth suspect in Zondacrypto crypto fraud investigation

Polish prosecutors have charged Roman Ż., a former business partner of missing BitBay founder Sylwester Suszek, marking the fifth arrest in the widening Zondacrypto fraud investigation. The exchange collapsed in early 2026, leaving over 3,600 customers with estimated losses of $94 million (350 million zlotys). The criminal probe has been merged with the inquiry into Suszek's mysterious 2022 disappearance, as authorities freeze millions in assets and target high-profile figures, including Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz.

Roman Ż. fraud charges

• ▪During the arrest of Roman Ż., Polish police seized valuable watches and documents connected to Zondacrypto's operations.
• ▪Polish prosecutors charged Roman Ż., a former business partner of missing BitBay founder Sylwester Suszek, with fraud and a second undisclosed offense.
• ▪Roman Ż. was arrested on September 5, 2026, in Poland's Silesia region after authorities learned of his plans to travel to China, which they deemed a flight risk.
• ▪Roman Ż. denied the charges and provided investigators with an extensive statement, while his lawyer Błażej Gazda stated the China trip was a scheduled business trip with a return ticket.

Zondacrypto platform collapse

• ▪Zondacrypto, which was founded as BitBay in 2014 and rebranded in 2021, stopped trading in April 2026 and its website went offline on April 23, 2026.
• ▪Estonia's Financial Intelligence Unit restricted and subsequently revoked the operating license of BB Trade Estonia OÜ, the legal entity behind Zondacrypto.

Customer losses exceed $94M

• ▪Zondacrypto customers face estimated losses of at least 350 million zlotys, which is equivalent to approximately $94 million.
• ▪By June 2026, Polish prosecutors had received more than 3,600 complaints from Zondacrypto customers who reported frozen or delayed withdrawals.

Sylwester Suszek disappearance investigation

• ▪Sylwester Suszek's family reportedly received messages demanding a Bitcoin payment and claiming he had been kidnapped, though the authenticity of these messages remains unverified.
• ▪In August 2026, Polish prosecutors merged the Zondacrypto fraud investigation with the inquiry into the March 10, 2022, disappearance of founder Sylwester Suszek.

Multiple suspect arrests

• ▪Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz was charged with paid influence and favoring specific Zondacrypto creditors over others as the exchange neared insolvency.
• ▪Polish authorities detained stock-market investor Rafał Z., Jaromira W., and Anna P. in late August or early September 2026 in connection with the Zondacrypto probe.

Frozen assets compensation potential

• ▪No official repayment process or final distribution timeline has been announced for the secured Zondacrypto assets.
• ▪Polish authorities have frozen 4 million euros in a bank account and secured more than 100 million zlotys in assets to potentially support future customer compensation claims.

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