Polish prosecutors open probe into suspected crypto assets scam
Polish prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into a troubled cryptocurrency exchange amid allegations of fraud, money laundering and dubious ties to politicians.
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The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in the southern city of Katowice is leading the probe, which concerns alleged large-scale fraud and the handling of funds of potentially illicit origin.
Authorities said the case involves suspected misleading of users about the ability to buy and store both fiat and cryptocurrencies on the Zondacrypto platform.
Investors unable to withdraw funds, justice minister says
Prosecutors said on Friday that the reported financial damage amounts to no less than PLN 350 million (around EUR 80 million, USD 100 million), with complaints from victims being filed from across the country. The investigation covers activities dating back to 2022.
Justice Minister and Prosecutor-General Waldemar Żurek told reporters that authorities were receiving a growing number of reports from citizens who say they cannot withdraw their funds and feel harmed by the platform.
The probe also examines whether funds were transferred or stored in ways that could hinder efforts to trace their origin, prosecutors said. The investigation has been assigned to the Polish police’s Central Cybercrime Bureau (CBZC).
The announcement comes as Poland’s parliament on Friday again failed to override a presidential veto of a law regulating crypto assets, which would have introduced oversight measures and allowed financial regulators to halt public offerings of cryptocurrencies. Lawmakers fell short of the required majority.
Żurek said a lack of legal tools has hindered enforcement efforts, adding that last year alone authorities discontinued more than 1,200 cases of investment fraud involving online platforms due to unidentified perpetrators.
He added that cryptocurrency-related thefts since 2023 have caused losses of about PLN 200 million, while broader investment scams have totalled more than PLN 1.18 billion.
Up to 30,000 users affected, PM says
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the absence of the law limits authorities’ ability to scrutinize companies such as Zondacrypto, adding that the number of potentially affected users could reach up to 30,000.
He accused the opposition of ties to the cryptocurrency exchange, which he said was built with funds linked to Russian organised crime and Moscow’s security services.
The case has drawn additional attention due to the 2022 disappearance of Sylwester Suszek, founder of BitBay, the predecessor to Zondacrypto, under what Żurek described as „highly unusual circumstances,” state news agency PAP reported.
Authorities are continuing a separate investigation into the case.
Recent media reports have raised concerns about Zondacrypto’s financial stability, citing a sharp decline in its bitcoin reserves and user complaints about withdrawal delays.
The company has denied the allegations, saying it remains solvent and that the reports are inaccurate.
Prosecutors said the investigation will examine all aspects of the exchange’s operations and financial flows and that updates will be provided as the case develops.
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Source: TVP Info, IAR, PAP
Radio Poland
