Trump defends pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao: ‘Don’t believe I’ve ever met him, but he had a lot of support’
Donald Trump defended pardoning Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, claiming he was persecuted and had significant support.Summary
U.S. President Donald Trump defended his decision to pardon former Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, telling reporters that Zhao was "persecuted" by the Biden administration and that many people recommended the pardon, claiming he was not guilty of anything.
Trump stated he does not personally know Zhao, saying, "I don't believe I've ever met him," but granted the pardon based on requests from "a lot of very good people" who asserted his actions were not a crime.
Zhao had previously served four months in prison after pleading guilty in 2023 to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program, resulting in a $50 million fine for him and a $4.3 billion settlement for Binance. The article also notes reports linking Trump-backed World Liberty Financial to discussions about a stake in Binance.US while Zhao sought a pardon, and mentions Trump's earlier pardon of Ross Ulbricht and Sam Bankman-Fried's recent claims of politically motivated arrest.
(Source：The Block)