Polish prosecutors have expanded their criminal case involving crypto exchange Zondacrypto by formally charging an additional suspect, identified as Romana Ż., with allegedly taking part in an organized criminal group and misappropriating user funds.
According to an announcement from Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office, prosecutors also requested that the Katowice-Wschód District Court order Romana Ż. to be held in pretrial detention, citing concerns that the suspect could flee or obstruct the investigation.
Key takeaways
- Romana Ż. has been formally charged in Poland’s Zondacrypto investigation with participating in an organized criminal group.
- Prosecutors allege the suspect misappropriated 7.8 million zlotys (about $2.1 million) in user funds.
- Prosecutors asked for pretrial detention, arguing the suspect may flee or interfere with the probe.
- The latest charges follow earlier detentions and charges of three other individuals connected to Zondacrypto.
- Earlier reporting and court actions cited far larger loss estimates tied to the exchange and related investigations.
New charges filed in the Zondacrypto case
Prosecutors said Romana Ż. was detained on Sept. 5 due to concerns about flight risk and possible interference with the investigation. After the detention, the suspect was questioned by prosecutors, according to the National Prosecutor’s Office. The suspect denied the allegations and provided a statement.
In their filing, prosecutors accuse Romana Ż. of acting with others to misappropriate funds entrusted to the exchange. The alleged conduct, as described in the prosecutor’s submission, includes unauthorized changes to computer records and interference with the way Zondacrypto processed and transmitted exchange data.
Prosecutors’ motion for detention was submitted to the Katowice-Wschód District Court on Monday, with the announcement pointing to the same stated risks: potential flight and interference with the investigation. The court’s decision on detention was not described in the announcement.
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office announcement (linked in the source)
Earlier detentions and the group-wide allegations
The Romana Ż. charges follow a broader escalation earlier in September. The National Prosecutor’s Office reported that three other individuals had been detained on Sept. 2 and subsequently charged. Those allegations included money laundering, misappropriation of company assets, and participation in an organized criminal group.
Polish court records referenced in the source indicate that the court ordered all three suspects held in pretrial detention for up to three months. This is important for investors and users watching the case: it suggests prosecutors are framing the alleged misconduct as systemic rather than isolated, and they are building a timeline intended to support an organized-crime theory.
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office announcement (linked in the source)
Loss estimates and the expanding scope of the probe
Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph, linked in the source material, said prosecutors estimated losses connected to Zondacrypto at no less than 350 million zlotys. That figure dwarfs the 7.8 million zlotys attributed to the newly charged suspect, highlighting how individual defendants may be tied to different alleged portions of a larger total.
Cointelegraph also previously reported that the investigation was merged in July with a separate probe into the 2022 disappearance of Sylwester Suszek, the founder of BitBay, later renamed Zondacrypto. The merger matters because it suggests prosecutors are connecting the exchange’s later operations and the alleged handling of user funds to broader events around its leadership and corporate history.
Earlier Cointelegraph coverage (linked in the source)
Bankruptcy proceedings for the Estonian operator
Beyond criminal charges, the case has already spilled into formal insolvency steps. The source notes that Zondacrypto’s Estonian operator, BB Trade Estonia, was declared bankrupt in August. It also states that the first creditors’ meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17.
For creditors and affected users, bankruptcy timelines can be as consequential as criminal proceedings. Criminal cases often determine responsibility and potential recovery routes, while insolvency processes are typically where claims are filed, assets are managed, and distributions may be negotiated or decided.
While the source does not detail whether claimants are expecting crypto-specific asset recovery or fiat distributions, the scheduled creditors’ meeting is likely to influence how quickly affected parties can formalize their requests and learn what portion—if any—may be recoverable.
What to watch next
The immediate next step is the Katowice-Wschód District Court’s decision on the detention request for Romana Ż. Separately, the Sept. 17 creditors’ meeting for BB Trade Estonia will be a key milestone for anyone seeking to understand their prospects for recovery as the criminal investigation continues to build its case against multiple defendants.
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