Zonda Exchange CEO Blames Missing Founder for $336M in Lost Bitcoin

Gate News message, April 17 — Zonda CEO Przemysław Kral has blamed the exchange's missing founder, Sylwester Suszek, for the loss of access to 4,500 Bitcoin (BTC), currently valued at approximately $336 million. According to Kral, Suszek did not hand over the private keys to the Bitcoin wallet, which was last active in November 2025. A transfer that was supposed to occur from Suszek never materialized.

Kral denied any fund misappropriation, stating that locating Suszek remains of utmost importance. The Polish exchange is facing renewed scrutiny following Kral's recent video, amid fresh allegations of potential bankruptcy and an ongoing probe by Polish regulators. On April 6, Recoveris conducted an audit of Zonda's hot wallets; Kral subsequently refuted bankruptcy claims, asserting that Zonda was fully solvent with over 4,500 BTC in assets.

Zonda has experienced an unusually high volume of withdrawal requests. According to Kral, while the exchange typically handles approximately 100,000 withdrawal requests annually, more than 25,000 requests were submitted shortly before and after April 6, largely driven by negative media coverage. Kral stated that Zonda will take legal action and assured customers that the exchange will meet its obligations. The company's financial statement received a positive audit report from an independent accountant.

Suszek, the founder and former CEO of the Polish crypto exchange originally known as BitBay (rebranded to Zonda in 2021), disappeared on March 10, 2022, at age 34. He left his house for a scheduled appointment in Czeladź, Southern Poland, where he met with lawyer Marian Wszolek at a fuel depot. He was last spotted there at 3:08 p.m., after which no further contact has been recorded. Polish authorities classify his disappearance as an ongoing missing person case that may involve foul play. Suszek's family has stated they believe he was kidnapped and murdered, and his sister Nicole has reported receiving threats.