CZ pardon was considered with ‘utmost seriousness,’ White House says

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the pardon for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) was considered with "utmost seriousness" and went through a "thorough review process" involving the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s office before reaching President Trump.

Leavitt addressed criticism following Trump's interview where he claimed not to know Zhao personally, clarifying the comments meant he lacked a personal relationship with the individual. She also asserted that Zhao was "over-prosecuted by a weaponized DOJ" under the Biden administration, and Trump's pardon was intended to "correct that wrong" and end the administration’s "war on the cryptocurrency industry."

This follows reports linking Binance to the Trump family's crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, which Binance CEO Richard Teng has denied. Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to failing to maintain an effective Anti-Money Laundering program and received a four-month sentence, which supporters argued was harsh for a non-violent first-time offender.

(Source：Cointelegraph)