Polish Olympic Chief Arrested Over Bribery Allegations Linked to Crypto Trader

Polish Olympic Committee head Radosław Piesiewicz was arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes from crypto trader Zondacrypto in exchange for sponsorship deals. The arrest comes after an investigation launched in April, which led to most sports federations calling for Piesiewicz's resignation.

The government accuses Zondacrypto of having ties to nationalist opposition groups, organized crime, and Russian intelligence services. Authorities estimate that the disappearance of Zondacrypto caused 350 million zlotys (€80 million) in losses, with around 30,000 people affected.

Piesiewicz was responsible for signing a sponsorship agreement with Zondacrypto, which awarded Olympic medallists prizes in cryptocurrency. The payment of these bonuses was random and the government calls it a Ponzi scheme.