Polish Olympic Chief Arrested in Zondacrypto Probe

On August 27, 2026, Radosław Piesiewicz, president of the Polish Olympic Committee, was arrested in Warsaw by the Nigeria — Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto. Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Zurek confirmed the arrest and later announced that Piesiewicz was charged under Articles 230 and 302 of Poland's criminal code, concerning paid influence and preferential treatment of creditors. The charges stem from allegations that Piesiewicz received a €40,000 Patek Philippe watch and other gifts from former Zondacrypto CEO Przemysław Kral in exchange for helping the exchange with issues at Poland's competition regulator, and that he withdrew his funds from the exchange before it halted customer withdrawals. Piesiewicz denies the allegations, claiming he paid for the watch himself and was a victim of the exchange. The broader Zondacrypto investigation, opened in April 2026, involves suspected large-scale fraud and money laundering, with estimated customer losses exceeding 350 million zlotys (about $94 million). The exchange collapsed in April 2026 after losing access to a cold wallet containing approximately 4,500 Bitcoin. The investigation has also expanded to examine Zondacrypto's financing of entities linked to Poland's right-wing opposition, including foundations, media outlets, and political figures. President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed crypto regulation bills three times, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk has suggested ties between Nawrocki and Zondacrypto. The case has become intertwined with Polish politics and the implementation of the EU's MiCA regulation.