Polish prosecutors have formally charged Romana Ż. in an ongoing investigation into cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto, alleging participation in an organized criminal group and misappropriation of 7.8 million zlotys ($2.1 million) in user funds. Prosecutors have requested that the Katowice-Wschód District Court place the suspect in pretrial detention.
Romana Ż. was detained on September 5 and subsequently questioned by prosecutors. The suspect denied the charges, according to Poland's National Prosecutor's Office.
Prosecutors allege that Romana Ż. worked with others to misappropriate funds by making unauthorized changes to computer records and interfering with the processing and transmission of exchange data.
The charges represent a continuation of a broader investigation into Zondacrypto. Three other individuals detained on September 2 have already been charged with money laundering, misappropriation of company assets, and participation in an organized criminal group. A Polish court ordered all three held in pretrial detention for up to three months.
Prosecutors have estimated total losses connected to Zondacrypto at no less than 350 million zlotys. In July, the Zondacrypto investigation was merged with a probe into the 2022 disappearance of Sylwester Suszek, founder of BitBay, which was later renamed Zondacrypto.
Zondacrypto's Estonian operator, BB Trade Estonia, was declared bankrupt in August, with its first creditors' meeting scheduled for September 17.
