Russian Crime Group Suspected of Controlling Poland's Largest Crypto Exchange

Poland's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Zondacrypto, has raised concerns among authorities after allegations emerged that it may be under the control of the 'Tambov' organized crime group.

According to documents from Poland's Internal Security Agency, control over the platform may have been established as early as July 2018, when it operated under the name BitBay and was in crisis. The controlling stake is believed to have ended up in entities registered in the United Arab Emirates, with representatives of the group likely involved through a Polish intermediary.

The case also involves payments totaling tens of millions of euros made through a Polish businessman linked to the fuel sector. This has raised concerns about potential Russian involvement in the exchange's activities, which may have been used for destabilizing actions against NATO and the EU.