Polish Fintech CEO Arrested as US National Guard Recruit at Fort Leonard Wood
Marcin Pióro, fugitive CEO of Polish currency exchange Cinkciarz.pl, was arrested on May 19, 2026, during basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after enlisting in the Illinois National Guard to seek U.S. citizenship. Polish prosecutors accuse him of defrauding over 5,000 victims of up to $50 million. He faces extradition to Poland on charges of fraud and money laundering, with a potential 25-year prison sentence.
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National Guardsman arrested for $30 million international fraud scheme
U.S. Marshals arrested 45-year-old Marcin Pióro, an Illinois National Guardsman, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, on May 19, 2026, on an international warrant for fraud and money laundering causing over $30 million in losses. Polish authorities requested his arrest and extradition, supported by an Interpol notice. Pióro joined the National Guard in October 2025 but was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct before completing basic training. He enlisted to become a U.S. citizen. The arrest was coordinated with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division to minimize training disruptions. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. The Illinois National Guard noted its strong ties with Poland through a State Partnership Program since 1993.
Army TimesNational Guardsman arrested for $30 million international fraud scheme
U.S. Marshals arrested 45-year-old Marcin Pióro, an Illinois National Guardsman, on May 19, 2026, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, on an international warrant for fraud and money laundering resulting in over $30 million in losses. Polish authorities requested his arrest and extradition, and he was subject to an Interpol notice. Pióro joined the National Guard in October 2025 but did not complete basic training and was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct. He enlisted to become a U.S. citizen. He appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. The arrest was coordinated with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division. The Illinois National Guard has a long-standing partnership with Poland through the State Partnership Program since 1993.
Military TimesNational Guardsman Arrested for $30 Million International Fraud Scheme
U.S. Marshals arrested 45-year-old Marcin Pióro, a soldier in the Illinois National Guard, on May 19, 2026, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for an international fraud and money-laundering scheme causing over $30 million in losses. Polish authorities requested his arrest and extradition, supported by an Interpol notice. Pióro joined the Guard in October 2025 but did not complete basic training and was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct. He enlisted to become a U.S. citizen. The arrest was coordinated with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division and occurred without incident. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. The Illinois National Guard has a longstanding partnership with Poland through a State Partnership Program since 1993.
Army TimesNational Guardsman Arrested for $30 Million International Fraud Scheme
U.S. Marshals arrested 45-year-old Marcin Pióro, a National Guardsman, on May 19, 2026, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for an international fraud and money-laundering scheme causing over $30 million in losses. Polish authorities requested his arrest and extradition, supported by an Interpol notice. Pióro joined the Illinois National Guard in October 2025 but was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct before completing basic training. He enlisted to become a U.S. citizen. The arrest was coordinated with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division to minimize training disruptions. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. The Illinois National Guard has a long-standing partnership with Poland through a State Partnership Program since 1993.
Army TimesNational Guardsman arrested for $30 million international fraud scheme
U.S. Marshals arrested 45-year-old Marcin Pióro, a National Guardsman, on May 19, 2026, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, on an international warrant for fraud and money-laundering causing over $30 million in losses. Polish authorities requested his arrest and extradition, and he was subject to an Interpol notice. Pióro joined the Illinois National Guard in October 2025 but did not complete basic training and was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct. He enlisted to become a U.S. citizen. The arrest was coordinated with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. The Illinois National Guard has a longstanding partnership with Poland through the State Partnership Program.
Military TimesNational Guardsman arrested for $30 million international fraud scheme
U.S. Marshals arrested 45-year-old Marcin Pióro, an Illinois National Guardsman, on May 19, 2026, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, on an international warrant for fraud and money laundering causing over $30 million in losses. Polish authorities requested his arrest and extradition, supported by an Interpol notice. Pióro joined the Guard in October 2025 but did not complete basic training and was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct. He enlisted to become a U.S. citizen. The arrest was coordinated with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division to minimize training disruptions. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. The Illinois National Guard has a long-standing partnership with Poland through the State Partnership Program since 1993.
Military TimesPolish National Guard Recruit Arrested at Basic Training as International Fugitive
Marcin Pióro, a 45-year-old Polish citizen, was arrested on May 19, 2026, during basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest. Pióro had enlisted in the Illinois National Guard seven months prior as a delayed-entry trainee, seeking accelerated U.S. citizenship through military service. He is wanted by Polish authorities for allegedly defrauding thousands of customers of his financial services platform, Cinkciarz.pl/Conotoxia, of between $34.5 million and $41.3 million. The U.S. Marshals Service, in coordination with ICE, the DoD Inspector General, and the FBI, arrested him during a training exercise. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained pending extradition. He was discharged from the National Guard following his arrest. The case highlights the use of military enlistment for naturalization and the enforcement of international arrest warrants on U.S. military installations.
Task & PurposePolish National Guard Recruit Arrested at Basic Training as International Fugitive
Marcin Pióro, a 45-year-old Polish citizen, was arrested on May 19, 2026, during basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest. Pióro had enlisted in the Illinois National Guard seven months prior as a delayed-entry trainee, seeking accelerated U.S. citizenship through military service. He is wanted by Polish authorities for allegedly defrauding thousands of customers of his financial services platform, Cinkciarz.pl/Conotoxia, of between $34.5 million and $41.3 million. The U.S. Marshals Service, in coordination with ICE, the DoD Inspector General, and the FBI, executed the arrest. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained pending extradition. He was discharged from the National Guard following the arrest. His enlistment required an age waiver, as the standard maximum enlistment age is 42.
Task & PurposePolish National Guard Recruit Arrested as International Fugitive at Fort Leonard Wood
Marcin Pióro, a 45-year-old Polish citizen, was arrested on May 19, 2026, during basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after Interpol issued a red notice. Pióro had enlisted in the Illinois National Guard as a specialist and delayed entry trainee for nearly seven months, seeking accelerated U.S. citizenship through military service. Polish authorities accuse him, as CEO of financial platform Cinkciarz.pl/Conotoxia, of large-scale fraud and money laundering involving 125-150 million PLN ($34.5-41.3 million) affecting thousands of customers. The U.S. Marshals Service, ICE, the DoD Inspector General, and the FBI coordinated the arrest. Pióro appeared in federal court on May 20 and was detained. Poland has requested his extradition. He was discharged from the National Guard following the arrest.
Task & PurposeCinkciarz.pl CEO Detained in US as Polish Fintech Fraud Losses Top $50 Million
Polish prosecutors announced that Marcin Pióro, the fugitive CEO of online currency exchange Cinkciarz.pl, has been detained in the United States, ending a lengthy international manhunt. The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Poznań confirmed the arrest and is awaiting a US court decision on extradition proceedings. The estimated total damage from the failed platform has grown to over 185 million zloty (approximately $50 million), with more than 5,000 identified victims. Formal charges including fraud and money laundering were filed in March 2025, and Interpol issued a Red Notice in July 2025. Pióro faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. The investigation began in October 2024 after Poland's financial regulator revoked the license of Cinkciarz.pl's subsidiary Conotoxia. Several other executives are already in Polish custody or under investigation. Cinkciarz.pl, founded in 2006, was once a leading online currency exchange in Central Europe before its collapse.
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