Extradition request sent to Washington

On Monday, 27 July 2026, Polish prosecutors transmitted an extradition request for former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro to US authorities via diplomatic channels. The nearly 300-page document, translated into English, was handed to the Polish embassy in Washington for delivery to American officials. It includes a final arrest warrant, a list of charges, a wanted notice, and supporting evidence. The request was signed off by Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek, who had flagged the move as imminent after Ziobro surfaced in the United States in May.

Charges and the Justice Fund investigation

Ziobro faces 26 criminal counts related to the management of the Justice Fund between 2017 and 2023, when he headed the Ministry of Justice. Prosecutors allege he led an organized criminal group, exceeded his authority, neglected duties, and manipulated grant competitions to funnel money to favoured entities. The extradition request, however, covers only 19 of those charges. The Warsaw Regional Court ruled on 3 July that evidence for seven counts (concerning failure to supervise fund disbursements and allowing former deputy minister Marcin Romanowski to make grant decisions without proper authorization) did not meet the high probability threshold. The arrest warrant was first issued by a district court in February 2026 and became final on 1 July after an appeals court rejected a challenge by Ziobro’s lawyer, Bartosz Lewandowski.

From Budapest to New York

Ziobro left Poland after the Sejm lifted his immunity in November 2025. He spent several months in Hungary, where the government of Viktor Orbán granted him international protection. After Orbán’s electoral defeat, Budapest revoked that status and invalidated the travel documents of Ziobro, his wife Patrycja Kotecka-Ziobro, and Romanowski. On 9 May, Ziobro flew from Milan to New York, entering the United States on a journalist visa. He announced his presence in the US on 10 May, saying he had not fled Poland and was using a document issued with his asylum. He later became a political commentator for the broadcaster Telewizja Republika. His exact location in the US remains unknown to Polish authorities.

“The criminal action against me was directed from abroad, so I did not return, just as many did not return during martial law.”

Political reactions and the ‘other Donald’

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, asked about the chances of extradition during a press conference in Głuchołazy, deflected the question toward Washington. “Considering that Zbigniew Ziobro is probably hiding in the United States, I could say that this is a question for another Donald,” he said, referring to US President Donald Trump. Tusk added that Poland would use all legal means to bring those facing serious charges before a Polish court, but noted that success depends on good cooperation with foreign governments. He praised the “excellent cooperation” with Hungary’s new government and said Warsaw is waiting for “positive signals from Washington.”

What happens next

Under the US-Poland extradition treaty, a US court will first examine whether the request meets formal requirements, including the dual criminality standard (offences must carry a maximum penalty of over one year in prison in both countries). The treaty excludes political offences, a line Ziobro’s defence is likely to invoke; he has called the charges “groundless and fabricated” and a form of political revenge. Even if a court approves extradition, the final decision rests with the US Secretary of State, who can refuse to surrender the individual. Polish prosecutors opted not to pursue a European Arrest Warrant after a Warsaw court refused to issue one on 13 July, fearing that a renewed application could be portrayed as political pressure in US proceedings. On 14 July, Żurek sent a letter to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking under what legal basis Ziobro was staying in the country.