Former Binance CEO CZ Says He Never Met Trump, ‘Surprised’ by Presidential Pardon
Binance co-founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) stated he was caught off guard by his presidential pardon from Donald Trump, clarifying that he has by no means met or carried out enterprise with the US president or his household.
Key Takeaways:
- CZ stated he was stunned by Trump’s pardon, insisting he by no means met or did enterprise with the US president or his household.
- He claimed that Binance and World Liberty Finance don’t have any connection, pushing again in opposition to hypothesis of monetary ties to Trump-linked ventures.
- The pardon sparked political backlash, with Democratic lawmakers alleging a “pay-to-play” scheme.
Speaking with Fox News on Friday, CZ stated he had met Trump’s son, Eric, solely as soon as on the Bitcoin Middle East and North Africa convention in Abu Dhabi.
“There is not any enterprise relationship between me, Binance, and World Liberty Finance,” CZ acknowledged, dismissing hypothesis of monetary ties to the Trump-linked crypto platform.
CZ Says He ‘Did Not Know’ When Trump Pardon Would Happen
CZ claimed that he was unaware of the pardon’s progress.
“I didn’t know when or if it was going to occur. I imagine my legal professionals submitted the petition in April, and it took a number of months. There was no indication of how far it went alongside. Then, it occurred in the future.”
The pardon, granted in October, triggered sturdy political reactions. While many within the crypto neighborhood considered it as a symbolic win for digital asset advocates after years of regulatory hostility, Democratic lawmakers condemned it as an act of political favoritism.
During a post-pardon press convention, Trump stated he didn’t personally know CZ however was instructed the case was “politically motivated.”
“He had a number of assist, they usually stated that what he did is just not even a criminal offense,” Trump stated.
The resolution has since develop into a flashpoint in Washington. Representative Maxine Waters accused Trump of a “pay-to-play” arrangement, claiming the pardon was tied to crypto-related investments funneled into Trump-affiliated ventures corresponding to World Liberty Financial (WLFI).
Several Democratic senators, together with Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, have referred to as for an inquiry, sending an open letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging a overview of the pardon course of.
Warren’s Lawyer Rejects CZ Defamation Threat
As reported, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s lawyer has dismissed CZ’s threat of a defamation lawsuit, insisting her feedback about his felony conviction have been factually right and supported by public information.
The dispute stems from an Oct. 23 publish on X, the place Warren criticized former President Donald Trump’s pardon of Zhao, calling it “corruption.”
Zhao’s lawyer, Teresa Goody Guillén, demanded a retraction, accusing Warren of damaging her consumer’s popularity.
In response, Warren’s lawyer, Ben Stafford, stated any defamation declare could be “with out advantage,” emphasizing that Zhao pleaded responsible to violating the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to keep up an efficient anti-money laundering program at Binance.
Stafford clarified that Warren’s publish didn’t declare Zhao was charged with direct cash laundering, solely that he broke AML legal guidelines – an announcement “true in all respects,” he stated.
Warren additionally alleged that Zhao “financed Trump’s stablecoin and lobbied for a pardon,” citing media studies linking Binance to the Trump household’s crypto enterprise, World Liberty Financial.
Meanwhile, Binance is reportedly exploring ways to re-enter the US market following President Donald Trump’s pardon of CZ.
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