Former Polish police officer charged as investigators search fuel depot in ongoing Zondacrypto probe related to missing founder.
Regulation & Gov ·
Polish prosecutors have brought charges against a former police officer in connection with the collapsed Zondacrypto exchange, accusing him of organized crime membership, fraud, and money laundering. The officer, identified as Artur K., was detained Tuesday on orders from the National Prosecutor's Office organized crime department. Simultaneously, investigators are conducting a forensic search of a fuel depot in Katowice, the location where exchange founder Sylwester Suszek was last documented before his disappearance in March 2022.
The probe treats Suszek's case as unlawful deprivation of liberty. Authorities are employing specialized forensic equipment and expert witnesses during the depot examination. Among prior investigative findings, one suspect was accused of removing a hard drive from CCTV equipment at a filling station. The exchange, originally launched in 2014 as BitBay and rebranded as Zondacrypto after moving its registration to Estonia in 2020, froze withdrawals and ceased operations in April, drawing several thousand complaints from clients.
At least five others have faced charges since August, including a former Olympic Committee official, though none of the allegations have proceeded to trial and those who have made public statements have denied wrongdoing. It remains unclear whether Artur K. has responded to the charges or whether prosecutors will seek his pre-trial detention.