Charges filed against three suspects in Zondacrypto cryptocurrency exchange case in Katowice
Three people detained in connection with the Zondacrypto exchange case have been charged with participation in a criminal group and embezzlement of property. They face up to 10 years in prison.
Zondacrypto charges: organised criminal group and millions of złoty in damages
As RMF24 was informed by the spokesperson for the Prosecutor General, prosecutor Anna Adamiak, Anna P., detained on Wednesday, has been charged with three offences. The first concerns participation in an organised criminal group whose aim was to seize the assets of Sylwester Suszek. The second concerns causing damage to the property of Zondacrypto operator BB Trade Estonia, through accepting a property in Katowice worth 700,000 złoty. The third charge involves obstructing proceedings in the case of Suszek's deprivation of liberty.
Jaromirze W. has been charged with participation in the same organised criminal group. Additionally, as prosecutor Adamiak explained, the woman must answer for acting to the detriment of the Zondacrypto operator by seizing approximately 8 million złoty. The suspect also obtained confirmation of repayment of a loan in the amount of 2.9 million euro, which she did not actually repay, and took over a property in Katowice. She has also been charged with money laundering from proceeds of crime.
Rafał Z. has been charged with one offence – embezzlement of property entrusted to him belonging to the Zondacrypto operator in the amount of 1.7 million złoty.
Prosecutor Adamiak emphasised that none of the three suspects admitted to the charges, although all provided statements. Their content, according to the prosecution, is inconsistent with the evidence gathered. For this reason, and in connection with concern about obstruction of proceedings, the prosecutor will submit three motions to the Katowice-East District Court for detention on remand. The charges carry a sentence of up to 8–10 years in prison.
The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Katowice initiated proceedings in the Zondacrypto cryptocurrency exchange case on 17 April of this year in connection with fraud of significant value and money laundering. To date, several thousand criminal complaints have been received.
At the beginning of August, the investigation was merged with proceedings concerning the disappearance of Sylwester Suszek – founder of Zondacrypto's predecessor, the BitBay cryptocurrency exchange. Suszek disappeared in March 2022. The merged investigation is now being handled by the Silesian division of the National Prosecutor's Office.
Source: RMF24