Polish prosecutors have charged a fifth suspect in an investigation linked to Zondacrypto that has generated more than 3,600 criminal reports and estimated losses of at least PLN 350 million, or about $94 million. The latest defendant, identified as Roman Ż., was detained on Sept. 5 and has since been placed in pre-trial detention, according to Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office.
Roman Ż. faces allegations of participating in an organized criminal group and misappropriating PLN 7.8 million, about $2.1 million, from platform users. Prosecutors allege that the funds were obtained through unauthorized changes to computer records, including the deletion and addition of entries in the platform’s systems.
The Katowice Wschód District Court ordered Ż. held on Sept. 7, the prosecutor’s office said. Prosecutors had sought detention on the grounds that the potential sentence, the risk of obstructing the case, and the possibility of flight made less restrictive measures insufficient.
Ż. pleaded not guilty and gave explanations to investigators, according to the National Prosecutor’s Office. The allegations carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years if he is convicted.
Fifth publicly identified suspect
Ż. is the fifth person publicly identified as a suspect in the expanding case. Prosecutors charged Radosław P. in late August, before announcing charges against Anna P., Jaromira W. and Rafał Z. following arrests on Sept. 2.
The sequence of arrests indicates that investigators are examining alleged conduct by multiple people rather than treating the losses as the act of a single individual. The charge involving manipulation of digital records also places platform data and account-management systems at the center of the investigation.
Authorities have not presented the case as a routine commercial dispute. Their allegations concern an organized criminal group and the use of altered computer records to obtain financial benefits, claims that will need to be tested during criminal proceedings.
Pre-trial detention is a procedural measure rather than a finding of guilt. In seeking custody for Ĺ»., prosecutors cited risks connected to the investigation and the severity of the possible punishment, while Ĺ». has formally denied the charges.
Loss estimate may rise as reports are reviewed
The estimated loss figure of at least PLN 350 million is based on reports collected by authorities so far. Prosecutors have said the total may change as further complaints arrive from people who believe they were affected.
More than 3,600 crime reports have been submitted in connection with the case, according to the prosecutor’s office. That volume creates a substantial evidentiary task: investigators must assess individual claims, determine whether account balances or transfers were affected, and connect any losses to the alleged conduct under examination.
The PLN 7.8 million attributed to Ĺ». represents only one portion of the wider estimated losses. The gap between that allegation and the PLN 350 million total suggests prosecutors are investigating multiple suspected transactions, account changes, or people across the case.
For affected users, the criminal investigation and the recovery of funds are separate practical questions. Criminal charges can establish alleged responsibility and support efforts to trace assets, but the process of identifying claims and determining whether money can be returned often depends on the evidence gathered from account records, bank transfers, platform systems and reports filed by users.
Alleged record changes put platform controls under scrutiny
The accusation that records were deleted and added without authorization focuses attention on a risk that extends beyond cryptocurrency price movements or blockchain transactions. Users of centralized trading platforms rely on the operator’s internal ledger to reflect deposits, trading balances and withdrawals.
A blockchain may record transactions on a public network, but an exchange or trading platform’s internal systems can determine what a customer sees as available in an account. If prosecutors’ allegations are substantiated, the case would turn on whether internal records were changed in a way that diverted user funds or obscured their ownership.
That distinction is particularly relevant in cases involving custodial platforms, where customers do not necessarily control the private keys associated with assets held through the service. Internal access controls, transaction approvals, audit trails and separation of duties are among the safeguards designed to limit the ability of any one employee or executive to alter balances without detection.
The prosecutor’s office has not publicly detailed the specific systems allegedly altered, the period during which the alleged conduct occurred, or how the PLN 7.8 million figure was calculated. Those details may emerge as investigators continue reviewing reports and as the case moves through court proceedings.
Investigation remains active
The continuing investigation means further suspects or charges remain possible, though prosecutors have not announced additional detentions beyond the five people already identified. Each defendant is entitled to challenge the allegations and present a defense in court.
The size of the reported losses has made the case one of the more consequential criminal inquiries involving a cryptocurrency-related platform in Poland. With thousands of reported victims and losses measured in hundreds of millions of zloty, prosecutors face pressure to preserve evidence quickly, map the alleged movement of funds and determine whether assets can be located.
The immediate development is the court’s decision to keep Ż. in custody while investigators pursue those questions. His detention adds another defendant to a case that has moved from an initial wave of complaints into a broader inquiry over alleged coordinated misconduct and the integrity of user-account records.
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