Polish Olympic chief charged in Zondacrypto probe, justice minister says

Polish Olympic Committee president Radosław Piesiewicz has been charged by prosecutors in connection with a probe into the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto. Polish Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek announced the charges on Thursday, stating that Piesiewicz was detained in an investigation related to the defunct exchange. Żurek revealed that Piesiewicz faces charges under two provisions of Poland's Penal Code, accused of influence peddling and showing favoritism towards certain creditors while the company was insolvent.

TVP World reported that Piesiewicz allegedly recovered all the funds he invested through Zondacrypto, while thousands of other customers were unable to withdraw their money. The exchange became a general sponsor of the Polish Olympic Committee in October 2025. Piesiewicz's detention is one of the first arrests in the Zondacrypto investigation.

The cryptocurrency exchange shut down its operations in April due to a liquidity crisis, and its then-CEO, Przemysław Kral, has reportedly been charged with participating in large-scale fraud. Kral is said to be cooperating with investigators in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence.