Alleged Zondacrypto mastermind ‘Maniek’ hiding in Dubai

Polish prosecutors allege Marian W., known as “Maniek,” is hiding in Dubai and was the true operator behind the Estonia‑licensed exchange Zondacrypto after the platform collapsed, producing direct investor losses of roughly 350 million zloty (about $97–100 million). The exchange’s public chief executive, Przemysław Kral, has been missing since denying that the company’s reserves had fallen by more than 99 percent.

Authorities in Poland say Kral acted as the public face of the business while Marian W. ran operations. Kral is now in the United Arab Emirates, and prosecutors report he was in Dubai with Marian W. when the latter was identified by investigators. Kral has told investigators he never received the private keys to a wallet holding 4,500 bitcoins that officials say became inaccessible after the platform’s founder disappeared.

Zondacrypto began as BitBay in 2014, founded by Sylwester Suszek. The platform was rebranded in 2021 and its headquarters were moved to Estonia under an operator registered there. Suszek disappeared in the spring after the rebrand; investigators say he was last seen at a fuel depot linked to Marian W. and that his disappearance is being treated as suspicious.

Monaco authorities have opened a separate money‑laundering inquiry after reports that parts of the business were run from the Principality. Prosecutors say Marian W. previously operated from Monaco and that the company sponsored local sporting events, prompting judicial interest in the city‑state. Polish and Monaco investigators are coordinating cross‑border inquiries into the company’s corporate structure and financial flows.

Polish security services have reported alleged links between the exchange and organized crime. Investigators cite assistance by a St. Petersburg‑based criminal group in a 2018 acquisition related to the platform, and they say a Polish businessman active in fuel trading introduced shareholders to those Russian contacts.

Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek described Zondacrypto as a “pyramid scheme,” and lawmakers have intensified debates over tighter rules for digital‑asset platforms since the collapse. Prosecutors in Poland say investigations into the chain of control, missing funds and missing people remain active, and officials are working to trace assets and determine which parties controlled client funds.