Former business partner of Sylwester Suszek charged as Zondacrypto investigation continues

Roman Ż., a former business partner of missing cryptocurrency exchange founder Sylwester Suszek, has been charged with two offenses in the Zondacrypto case, including fraud.

His lawyer, Błażej Gazda, said prosecutors were expected to seek his detention. Gazda said his client did not admit the allegations and had provided extensive explanations. According to the lawyer, Roman Ż.’s role was limited to managing BitBay while that name was still used by the company.

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As far as I know, a request for detention will be submitted.

Police detained Roman Ż. on Saturday afternoon in connection with the investigation. Authorities secured documents related to the exchange. Prosecutors said the detention followed a justified fear that he might flee, while Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said the authorities believed he intended to travel to China.

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My client did not admit to the charges and gave extensive explanations.

Gazda rejected that interpretation. He said his client had tickets to China for Sunday and a return ticket for September 13, describing the trip as purely business-related. He added that Roman Ż. had also traveled to China in June and returned. The lawyer called the timing a coincidence that led to the detention.

The Katowice Regional Prosecutor’s Office opened the Zondacrypto investigation in April over alleged high-value fraud and money laundering. Several thousand crime reports have been filed. In August, the case was combined with the investigation into the disappearance of Suszek, conducted by the Katowice branch of the National Prosecutor’s Office.

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It was a purely business trip. Especially since, I believe, my client was also in China in June and returned.