Polish Olympic Committee president detained in Zondacrypto bribery probe

Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz was detained as part of an investigation into digital asset platform Zondacrypto, the country's attorney general said on Thursday.Piesiewicz, a powerful figure in Polish sports, was detained after he was accused of taking bribes in return for sponsorship deals, according to reporting from Euro.news. A joint investigation from TVN24 and Wirtualna Polska also reported that Zondacrypto's CEO gave Piesiewicz an over $40,000 watch, which he said he bought on his own with cash."The Prosecutor's Office will provide further information after the completion of proceedings involving him, conducted at the Silesian Department of the National Prosecutor's Office," said Poland Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek in a post on X.As part of the alleged bribe, in February Olympic medalists at the Winter Olympics would receive prizes in crypto, according to Euro.news. Zondacrypto collapsed in April after suffering a liquidity crisis. Earlier this year, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the crypto firm of having ties to the Russian mafia and secret service.Tusk also said Zondacrypto sponsored a Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, event in Poland last year, where former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem voiced support for Nawrocki's presidential bid, according to the Associated Press.Poland Sport and Tourism Minister Jakub Rutnicki said Piesiewicz "should never have been the president of the PKOl.""We've been talking about this for months, and the sports community is also speaking out about it," Rutnicki said in a post on X. "Piesiewicz has disgraced Polish Olympism and exploited the image of Polish athletes. We are awaiting information from the prosecutor's office."Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.© 2026 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.