Polish Olympic Committee President Detained for Three Months Amid Crypto Exchange Scandal

Radoslaw Piesiewicz, the president of the Polish Olympic Committee (LOK), will spend at least the next three months in pre-trial detention following a court decision in Katowice. The detention is linked to an ongoing investigation involving the cryptocurrency exchange "Zondacrypto."

The LOK chief was arrested in Warsaw on Thursday and subsequently charged with trading influence. Prosecutors allege that in 2025, Piesiewicz claimed to have influence within Poland's competition authority, UOKiK, due to his connections with a former prime minister. He allegedly agreed to intervene in a case concerning "Zondacrypto" in exchange for a watch worth nearly 170,000 Polish zloty (approximately 40,000 euros).

Further accusations include pressuring "Zondacrypto's" management to pay specific creditors 44,900 euros and 100,000 euros while the exchange was facing potential insolvency. Piesiewicz denies all wrongdoing. Before entering the court, he told journalists, "I lost 200,000 euros, I paid for the watch myself. What should I admit to?"

Prosecutors requested his arrest, citing the risk of him interfering with the investigation and the potential severity of the sentence. The court's decision to detain him for three months underscores the seriousness of the charges.

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I lost 200,000 euros, I paid for the watch myself. What should I admit to?