Polish Olympic Committee president detained in Zondacrypto bribery probe
Polish sports leader held in crypto exchange probe
Radosław Piesiewicz, president of the Polish Olympic Committee, was detained Thursday as part of an investigation into the failed digital asset platform Zondacrypto. The country's attorney general confirmed the arrest, which is linked to allegations of bribery and corruption in Poland's sports sector.
Piesiewicz is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for securing sponsorship deals with the exchange. Polish Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek stated that the Prosecutor's Office is conducting proceedings at the Silesian Department of the National Prosecutor's Office and will release further details after the investigations conclude.
Alleged gifts and controversial deals
According to reports from TVN24 and Wirtualna Polska, Zondacrypto's CEO gave Piesiewicz a luxury watch valued at over $40,000. Piesiewicz reportedly claimed he purchased the item himself using cash, but it is being examined as part of the alleged bribery scheme.
Another key element of the investigation involves a deal made in February to reward Olympic medalists with prizes in cryptocurrency during the Winter Olympics. Zondacrypto, a crypto exchange that allows users to trade digital assets, collapsed in April after suffering a severe liquidity crisis. Earlier this year, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly accused the firm of having ties to the Russian mafia and secret service.
Political fallout and criticism
The detention has triggered immediate political consequences. Poland's Sport and Tourism Minister, Jakub Rutnicki, stated that Piesiewicz "should never have been the president of the PKOl." Rutnicki added that Piesiewicz had disgraced Polish Olympism and exploited the image of athletes, noting that the sports community had been discussing these issues for months.
Additional reports indicate that Zondacrypto sponsored a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event in Poland last year. At that event, former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem voiced support for a political candidate, further linking the collapsed exchange to broader political activities.
Why this matters for Polish crypto
This case highlights the growing scrutiny of cryptocurrency firms in Europe following high-profile collapses. The involvement of a national sports organization and allegations of political connections suggest the reach of the failed exchange extended well beyond typical financial fraud into state institutions.
