Court orders pre-trial detention

The Katowice-Wschód District Court in Katowice approved a three-month pre-trial detention order for Artur K. following his arrest in an investigation into cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto. The decision came in response to an application submitted by the Silesian Department for Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor General's spokesperson Anna Adamiak explained that investigators concluded procedural actions with the suspect before filing the motion. Prosecutors justified the detention by citing a strong probability that the offenses were committed, alongside an objective risk of flight, potential evidence tampering, and the severe penalties involved. Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek confirmed the judicial ruling, while Adamiak noted that Artur K. gave extensive explanations but did not plead guilty to the charges.

“The court granted the prosecutor's motion and agreed to the temporary arrest of Artur K. for 3 months.”

Criminal charges and misappropriated assets

The prosecution filed two criminal counts against Artur K., who retired from law enforcement in 2018 after heading the cybercrime department at the Katowice Regional Police Headquarters. The first charge involves participation in an organized criminal group that executed unauthorized modifications to the cryptocurrency exchange's IT systems. Investigators state that the group created fictitious receivables to misappropriate client funds amounting to at least 7.8 million PLN. Furthermore, the charges specify the misappropriation of 3,900 bitcoins that were transferred to a third party as collateral for a loan, followed by the laundering of illicit proceeds. The alleged financial harm directly impacted BitBay sp. z o.o., BB Trade Estonia OU, and other associated entities.

Failure of security oversight

The second charge against Artur K. centers on non-performance of statutory duties during his employment as head of security for BitBay and its rebranded successor, Zondacrypto. According to prosecutors, he consciously tolerated unlawful financial transactions and irregular economic operations that violated compliance protocols. Investigators assert that he failed to take measures to verify customer identities, monitor the legality of monetary transfers, or enforce mandated anti-money laundering procedures. By omitting preventative action, he facilitated the execution of forbidden acts by other individuals within the organization. Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński confirmed the suspect's background as a former regional police officer.

“Fictitious liabilities, cleared accounts and 3,900 Bitcoins siphoned off. We will settle this to the bottom, without arrangements, without exceptions and without lenient treatment.”

Merged probe and founder disappearance

The proceedings unite multiple criminal threads involving financial deception and the suspected unlawful deprivation of liberty of exchange founder Sylwester Suszek. On 17 April 2026, the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Katowice initiated the economic probe after receiving several thousand customer complaints regarding the purchase and custody of fiat currencies and digital assets. In early August 2026, authorities merged that inquiry with the National Prosecutor's investigation into Suszek, whose fate remains unknown since March 2022. Following Artur K.'s arrest on 22 September 2026, law enforcement executed search warrants at his private residence, securing documentation on the company's platform activities. Forensic investigators simultaneously examined the fuel base and service station premises where Suszek was last seen prior to his disappearance.