A National Guard soldier wanted as an “international fugitive” for multi-million dollar financial crimes was arrested while in basic training at a Missouri Army base, officials said.
Marcin Pióro, 45, a Polish citizen, was arrested after Interpol issued a “red notice,” according to U.S. Marshals Service officials. Deputies arrested Pióro May 19 while he “was participating in a military training exercise.” An Army official confirmed Pióro was in basic combat training at the base, but had not graduated.
“Pióro joined the U.S. Army to receive naturalization sponsorship,” the U.S. Marshals Service said in a release. Non-U.S. citizens can discuss the process of accelerated naturalization during their interview with recruiters and apply once they arrive at their battalion for basic training, according to an Army release.
An Illinois National Guard official told Task & Purpose that Pioro was a specialist in the guard for nearly seven months as a delayed entry trainee, but had not completed basic training. The official said he was discharged from the guard after his arrest.
Pióro’s age was listed as 46 in the Marshals Service’s press release on his arrest, but an Interpol alert and court documents filed since list his birthday as September 6, 1980, meaning he was 45 when he was arrested and during his time in the guard. The maximum age for enlistment in the National Guard is 42, matching that of active duty, but recruiters are known to work with recruits on waivers.
Pióro was arrested, the Marshals Service said, pursuant to a red notice from Interpol, the European police agency. A red notice is an alert to law enforcement agencies around the globe. Pióro, Interpol said, was wanted by Polish authorities for large-scale fraud and money laundering crimes through his business. Documents filed in federal court this week indicate that Polish authorities have requested that the U.S. State Department extradite Pióro to Poland.
In court filings, Polish authorities say Pióro is the CEO of a Polish financial services platform known as Cinkciarz.pl/Conotoxia. The company, Polish authorities say, is responsible for fraud that cost thousands of customers between 125 million and 150 million PLN, or between $34.5 million and $41.3 million.
Pióro appeared in a federal court in Missouri on May 20 and was detained.
U.S. Marshals Service deputies coordinated Pióro’s arrest with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Defense Inspector General and the FBI, according to the release.
