Fuel scam: Katowice Regional Court to take over case of Marian W. involving 1.3 billion zloty
Katowice Court of Appeal has ruled on a dispute over court jurisdiction in the case of the alleged leader of a criminal group, Marian W. The proceedings concern fictitious invoices for nearly 1.3 billion zloty and transfers exceeding 1.5 billion zloty.
Katowice takes over fuel scam: Marian W. to face local regional court
Katowice Court of Appeal decided on Friday that the case of Marian W., the suspected leader of an international group engaged in illegal fuel trading, will be heard by Katowice Regional Court – reported PAP news agency, citing the II Criminal Division. According to Interia and other media, the case files are to be transferred to the competent court without delay.
The dispute over territorial jurisdiction arose after Katowice Regional Prosecutor's Office submitted an indictment in December 2025 to Sosnowiec Regional Court. Sosnowiec judges ruled that the case belonged in Katowice. Judges at Katowice Regional Court held a different view and returned the files. The Court of Appeal resolved the dispute by designating Katowice as the competent court.
Charges: nearly 11,900 fictitious VAT invoices
Katowice Regional Prosecutor's Office charged the defendants with participation in a scheme involving documentation of fictitious transactions with almost 11,900 VAT invoices for a total amount exceeding 1.29 billion zloty net. Over 1.5 billion zloty in criminally derived funds flowed into bank accounts of companies engaged in illegal trading. The funds were subsequently transferred, including to foreign bank accounts, in order to conceal their criminal origin – the prosecutor's office stated in a statement cited by media.
According to investigation findings, the group operated between 2011 and 2016 in Poland, Germany, Czech Republic and other European Union countries. It purchased diesel oil and petrol from entities registered in Germany, and subsequently put them into circulation in Poland with the involvement of companies holding registered buyer status and numerous intermediaries who were merely engaged in sham business activities. The group did not pay the required VAT and excise tax whilst simultaneously engaging in money laundering from tax crimes – explained Michał Binkiewicz, spokesman for Katowice Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Who is Marian W. "Maniek"
Marian W., pseudonym "Maniek", is one of the key figures in the Zondacrypto affair. According to Gazeta Wyborcza investigation, he was one of the main investors in the cryptocurrency exchange – investigators suspect he invested 120 million zloty derived from fuel transactions and had informal influence over the company's management. He also allegedly introduced lawyer Przemysław Kral to the exchange founded by Sylwester Suszek, who later became CEO of Zondacrypto. Kral, according to media reports, decided to cooperate with the prosecutor.
Marian W. is also listed as a suspect in the investigation into the disappearance of Sylwester Suszek – founder of the BitBay exchange, predecessor to Zondacrypto, known as the "king of cryptocurrencies". In this line of investigation, prosecutors presented him with a charge of unlawful deprivation of liberty. Despite this, "Maniek" was not remanded in custody – in the fuel case in 2019 he obtained an iron-clad guarantee, which, as confirmed to PAP on Friday by his defence counsel Błażej Gazda, was never revoked and remains valid. Marian W.'s current whereabouts are unknown – his representative declines to provide such information.
Disappearance of Sylwester Suszek
Sylwester Suszek disappeared in March 2022. He was 33 years old at the time. He was last seen at a fuel company in Czeladź belonging to Marian W. – that is where his mobile phone last logged in. On the day of his disappearance, security cameras on the fuel depot premises stopped working for a period of time.
Three people from "Maniek's" circle arrested
On Wednesday, on the orders of the National Prosecutor's Office conducting a multifaceted investigation into Zondacrypto, three people connected to Marian W. were detained. On Friday, all three were remanded in custody by court. They are: Anna P. – "Maniek's" close collaborator, Jaromira W. – his ex-wife, represented by counsel Gazda, and Rafał Z.
The prosecutor presented Anna P. with three charges: participation in an organised criminal group operating from 2020 to 2026, which aimed to seize components of Suszek's assets; causing – jointly and in agreement with others – significant property damage to Zondacrypto operator, company BB Trade Estonia, by taking over property in Katowice worth 700 thousand zloty; and obstructing proceedings by dismantling and removing a surveillance disk from the petrol station where the "king of cryptocurrencies" was last seen, as well as inducing false testimony.
Jaromira W. was charged with participation in the same criminal group as Anna P., causing BB Trade Estonia significant property damage by seizing nearly 8 million zloty from the company account for property purchase in France, obtaining confirmation of repayment of a 2.9 million euro loan which in fact she did not repay, and taking over property in Katowice worth 800 thousand zloty. The third charge concerns money laundering in the amount of 7.5 million zloty through fictitious property acquisition.
Rafał Z. was charged with misappropriation of property entrusted to him belonging to BB Trade Estonia – 1.7 million zloty, which according to investigators he accepted for a specific purpose but used for his own needs.
All three deny committing the acts charged against them but have submitted explanatory statements – the prosecutor's office stated. According to Interia, the fuel case involving Marian W. is considered one of the largest in Poland concerning illegal fuel trading and VAT fraud.
Source: Interia