New arrest in Zondacrypto investigation – Roman Ż. detained on flight risk concerns
The National Prosecutor's Office confirmed the detention of Roman Ż., long-time partner of the missing founder of Zondacrypto. The decision was made due to justified concerns about flight risk.
Further detention in failed cryptocurrency exchange case
The National Prosecutor's Office confirmed the detention of Roman Ż. – long-time partner of Sylwester Suszka, the missing founder of the failed Zondacrypto exchange. According to Interia, journalists from Wirtualna Polska and tvn24.pl were the first to report on the detention.
"The detention took place due to justified concerns about flight risk by Roman Ż. On the prosecutor's orders, a search was carried out at the location where Roman Ż. was detained, as well as at his registered address," the prosecutor's office stated.
Officers from the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime and the Provincial Police Headquarters in Katowice participated in the operation. During the search, valuable items were secured, including watches, as well as documentation concerning Zondacrypto's activities. After completion of the procedures, Roman Ż. is to be brought to the prosecutor's office.
Since 2019, investigators have charged him with leading an organised criminal group and laundering 28 million zloty through BitBay exchange accounts.
Three other suspects already remanded
On Friday, the court accepted motions for remand in the case of three previously detained individuals – Anna P., Jaromiry W., and Rafał Z. All three were apprehended on Wednesday, and were charged on Thursday. None of them admitted to the alleged offences.
False reports about the marshal
During investigative operations, unofficial information appeared in the media about the detention of the marshal of Lublin Voivodeship. This proved to be false – the politician himself denied the reports, publishing a photo from a Motor – Legia football match on social media. "Warm greetings from the Motor – Legia match. Especially for the media, who blessed me with the gift of bilocation," he wrote.
Background to the investigation
The prosecutor's office opened an investigation into Zondacrypto in April regarding fraud of significant scale and money laundering. Several thousand criminal notifications have been received to date.
In August, the proceedings were combined with the case of Sylwester Suszka's disappearance, who vanished in March 2022. He was last seen at a petrol station belonging to Marian W., known as "Maniek".
As part of the same investigation, the President of the Polish Olympic Committee, Radosław Piesiewicz, was detained and remanded, charged with paid patronage and satisfying a group of creditors to the detriment of others, in connection with the exchange's threatened insolvency. Piesiewicz did not admit to the charges.
Source: Interia