Polish Olympic Chief Arrested in Crypto Scandal
Polish Olympic Committee chairman Radosław Pesewicz was arrested in connection with a cryptocurrency exchange scandal involving alleged fraud and money laundering, with investigations revealing ties to a major sponsor and receipt of luxury gifts.
Consensus
- Radosław Pesewicz, chairman of the Polish Olympic Committee, was arrested in connection with the Zondacrypto cryptocurrency exchange case.
- The case involves allegations of fraud and money laundering.
- The Zondacrypto exchange, formerly known as BitBay, is at the center of the investigation.
- The Polish prosecutor's office estimates the damage from the case at approximately €80 million.
- Pesewicz is accused of receiving luxury gifts, including watches worth around €40,000, from individuals linked to the exchange.
- The exchange became a sponsor of the Polish Olympic Committee and national team in October 2025, with a contract valid until 2028.
- Pesewicz denies the charges and claims he paid for the gifts in cash.
- The investigation involves 13 people, including the founder of Zondacrypto.
Points of divergence
- The court in Katowice granted a three-month arrest based on a prosecution request. — tg_dwglavnoe
- The arrest was carried out in Warsaw by order of the National Prosecutor's Office in Katowice and the central bureau for cybercrime. — kommersant
- The prosecutor's office opened the case in April 2026, with alleged fraud and money laundering totaling around 350 million zloty (approx. €80 million). — kommersant
- The prosecution claims Pesewicz used his influence to promote the businessman's interests with Polish officials. — tg_dwglavnoe
- Pesewicz claims he never had accounts on the exchange and denies involvement in cryptocurrency, attributing the arrest to political persecution. — kommersant
- Pesewicz stated that the Olympic Committee could not terminate the sponsorship agreement without incurring penalties it could not afford. — kommersant
- Pesewicz is accused of using his position to transfer around €200,000 from cryptocurrency accounts before the exchange's bankruptcy. — tg_dwglavnoe
- The exchange was used for transferring funds abroad and cashing out criminal proceeds, and clients were unable to withdraw their assets. — kommersant
Coverage (2 sources)
- Head of Polish Olympic Committee arrested in cryptocurrency case — DW Главное
- In Poland, the chairman of the Olympic Committee was detained in a case of a crypto fraud — Коммерсантъ