KATOWICE, Poland: The arrest of Radosław Piesiewicz escalated Saturday as a court ordered the Polish Olympic Committee president to be held for three months in the Zondacrypto investigation.
Police detained Piesiewicz in Warsaw on August 27. Prosecutors later charged him with trading in influence and allegedly favouring certain Zondacrypto creditors as the cryptocurrency platform faced insolvency. He denied wrongdoing.
The investigation includes allegations that Piesiewicz received benefits connected to his dealings with Zondacrypto. One allegation concerns a Swiss watch valued at about €40,000. Piesiewicz has said he paid for the watch himself.
Zondacrypto, an Estonia-registered platform run by Polish executives, stopped trading in April 2026. Investors lost about 350 million zlotys, or roughly $81 million, according to the Financial Times.
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Piesiewicz had overseen a sponsorship agreement between Zondacrypto and the Polish Olympic Committee. The relationship came under scrutiny after the platform’s collapse, prompting calls from Polish sports federations for his resignation.
Meanwhile, Polish Sports Minister Jakub Rutnicki welcomed the investigation and said Piesiewicz should never have led the Olympic committee.
The latest court order followed an overnight hearing in Katowice that ended early on August 29. Prosecutors had sought three months of detention while the investigation continues.
