Poland has formally requested the United States extradite former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who faces 26 criminal charges centred on alleged misuse of a state crime victims’ fund and purchase of Pegasus spyware. Ziobro, who fled to the US in May after Hungary revoked his asylum, denies all allegations and claims the case is politically motivated.
Poland submits formal extradition request to Washington
Poland has officially submitted a request to the United States for the extradition of former Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro, who is currently residing in the US, according to the National Prosecutor’s Office. The request for pre-trial detention and extradition was transmitted through diplomatic channels on Monday, 27 July 2026, by Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek to competent US authorities.
As reported by Alicja Ptak of Notes from Poland, the extradition request covers 19 of the 26 offences listed in the indictment against Ziobro, with documents including the final detention order, the indictment, a wanted notice and supporting evidence. Prosecutor Anna Adamiak, spokeswoman for the National Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed that the request sought Ziobro’s extradition and provisional arrest.
The charges against Ziobro
Ziobro, who served as justice minister and prosecutor general under Poland’s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government from 2015 to 2023, faces 26 charges primarily related to alleged misuse of money from the Justice Fund, a state scheme established to compensate crime victims. Prosecutors accuse him of leading an organised criminal group within the justice ministry that misappropriated approximately 150 million zloty (around €35 million or $42 million) from the fund for political and personal purposes.
According to Anna Adamiak of the General Prosecutor’s Office, as cited by the Associated Press, the allegations include establishing and leading a criminal organisation, misappropriation of funds, abuse of power, rigging grant competitions to benefit government-friendly organisations, and deploying Pegasus spyware against political opponents. The evidence base includes witness statements, suspect testimonies, grant documentation, materials from the Supreme Audit Office, and electronic data.
Should he be charged and convicted, Ziobro could face a maximum prison sentence of 25 years.
Pegasus spyware purchase at centre of allegations
A significant component of the case involves the alleged purchase of Israeli-made Pegasus surveillance software using Justice Fund resources. As reported by TVN24, cited in Polskie Radio coverage, prosecutors allege that over 150 million zloty from the Justice Fund was spent on acquiring the Pegasus system, which was reportedly used to target opposition politicians and government critics.
In testimony before Poland’s Pegasus Investigation Committee in September 2025, Ziobro acknowledged that he initiated the purchase of the surveillance system. According to the Associated Press, Ziobro stated:
“I was the one who initiated the purchase of this system,”
though he maintained that the formal decision was made by then-deputy justice minister Michał Wos. Ziobro added that he had instructed Wos to verify the legal possibility of such a transfer and concluded that the decisions taken were
“fully in accordance with the law”.
Ziobro’s flight from Hungary to the United States
Ziobro and his deputy Marcin Romanowski were granted asylum in Hungary by the previous nationalist government led by Viktor Orbán, an ally of PiS. However, Ziobro managed to flee to the United States on 9 May 2026, the same day Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who had promised to revoke their refugee status, was sworn in.
As reported by Reuters, Ziobro has been in the US since May after fleeing Hungary following the change of government in Budapest. Polish authorities subsequently cancelled his passports, and Budapest revoked his refugee status in July 2026.
According to reporting by Reuters, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau had instructed senior State Department officials to facilitate and approve a visa for Ziobro. Upon arrival in the US, Ziobro was hired by TV Republika, a PiS-friendly Polish broadcaster, as a political commentator, stating at the time:
“The United States is freedom. Freedom you can actually fight for.”
US extradition process and timeline
The Polish extradition request will now be assessed by the US Department of Justice to determine whether it meets the formal requirements of the Polish-US extradition treaty. If the request satisfies those requirements, it will be referred to a US federal court, where a judge will decide on the legal admissibility of Ziobro’s extradition to Poland.
Even with court approval, the final decision would rest with the US Secretary of State. Asked how long the extradition process could take, Anna Adamiak said previous cases suggested proceedings could last anywhere from several months to several years, depending on their nature and complexity.
Adamiak noted, however, that the extradition proceedings would not determine Ziobro’s guilt. As quoted by Wirtualna Polska and reported by Notes from Poland, she stated:
“Its role is merely to assess whether the surrender of that person in extradition proceedings is legally permissible in light of treaty regulations and domestic law.”
She added:
“However, the decision on surrender is, of course, a decision made by the state, so other circumstances may also play a role.”
Polish government response
Poland’s pro-EU government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has vowed to pursue the previous nationalist administration over alleged corruption. When asked at a news conference about the likelihood of Ziobro’s extradition and when it might take place, Tusk said the question should be directed at “the other Donald”, reported the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
Tusk added:
“We will, in accordance with the law, seek all available means to ensure that these politicians, against whom such serious charges have been brought, appear before a Polish court sooner or later. We are waiting for positive signals from Washington. Will they come? I don’t know.”
The request could become a delicate issue between Warsaw and Washington, which have traditionally maintained close security ties, though PiS, Poland’s largest opposition party, enjoys close ties with US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Ziobro denies all allegations
Ziobro has consistently denied all accusations, describing the case against him as an act of “political revenge” by Tusk’s government and insisting the allegations are part of a witch hunt. He has rejected all allegations and previously filed a complaint with prosecutors claiming the immunity waiver motion was signed by an unauthorised person, though the National Public Prosecutor’s Office rejected his allegations as unfounded.
Commenting on the extradition request on the conservative television channel TV Republika, as reported by Notes from Poland, Ziobro said he was pleased that the case would be heard “in the United States, on American soil, and before an American court”. He claimed that the proceedings would show that the Polish government
“regularly breaks the law, ignores procedures, rejects democratic principles, has taken control of the prosecutor’s office unlawfully, and is trying to destroy the opposition”.
Parliamentary proceedings and immunity waiver
The path to the extradition request began with parliamentary proceedings in Poland. On 7 November 2025, the Sejm (Poland’s lower house of parliament) waived Ziobro’s parliamentary immunity following a request by prosecutors. The final tally was 244 votes against Ziobro and 198 in favour, with no members abstaining, across 27 distinct votes covering each allegation and a concluding vote on detention and arrest.
In February 2026, Warsaw’s district court approved a request from prosecutors to place Ziobro in pre-trial detention, a decision needed to issue domestic and European arrest warrants. That decision became final on 3 July 2026 after an appeals court rejected challenges from his lawyers, with both courts agreeing that his conduct should be treated as flight and an attempt to hide from Polish law enforcement.
Diplomatic context and regional implications
The case has broader implications beyond Poland’s borders. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek previously described Hungary’s grant of asylum to Ziobro as a “dangerous precedent”, cautioning that it might enable governments to protect political allies from facing accountability domestically. The decision by Hungary to provide Ziobro with asylum escalated the dispute beyond Poland’s borders, angering Warsaw and prompting concerns regarding the EU’s capacity to ensure cooperation among its states.
Poland has also officially sent a diplomatic note to the United States regarding Ziobro’s visit, with Warsaw seeking to determine exactly how he crossed the border and under what circumstances he ended up in the United States. Details of the case and further consideration of the extradition request are not being disclosed at this time.
