• Changpeng Zhao stated the Wall Avenue Journal “got the facts wrong”
• He believes it’s a “motivated attack” on US President Donald Trump and the residual forces of the “war on crypto” from the final administration at work
• In 2023, Zhao resigned as Binance’s CEO as a part of a plea deal

Binance’s former CEO has denied a Wall Avenue Journal report and stated he’s had “no discussions” with US President Donald Trump in search of a presidential pardon.

In a publish on X, Changpeng Zhao stated, “Sorry to disappoint. The WSJ article got the facts wrong. ” He added that he hasn’t mentioned a Binance US cope with the Trump household.

He went on to say that “no felon would mind a pardon, especially being the only one in US history who was ever sentenced to prison for a single BSA [Bank Secrecy Act] charge. Feels like the article is motivated as an attack on the President and crypto, and the residual forces of the “war on crypto” from the final administration are nonetheless at work.”

4. Sorry to disappoint. The WSJ article received the details flawed.

Greater than 20 individuals have instructed me they had been requested by the WSJ (and one other media), “Can you confirm that CZ made some deal for a pardon?”

They in all probability requested lots of of individuals to have 20 individuals attain out to me. In… https://t.co/ELyDPmKD3G

— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) March 13, 2025

In accordance with the WSJ article, talks between Trump’s administration and Binance started final 12 months after the crypto trade reached out to Trump allies to strike a enterprise deal to deliver the exiled firm again to America.

$4.3 billion deal

In November 2023, Zhao resigned as Binance’s CEO as a part of a $4.3 billion cope with the Division of Justice (DoJ) to drop felony expenses in opposition to the crypto trade.

Zhao additionally pleaded responsible to breaching the Financial institution Secrecy Act after violating anti-money laundering procedures at Binance. Zhao was later denied journey to the UAE over considerations of being a flight danger regardless of providing $4.5 billion in Binance fairness as safety.

In April 2024, Zhao was sentenced to 4 months in jail and was launched in September of that 12 months.

Presidential pardon

Since returning to the White Home, Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Street.

Trump gave Ulbricht a full pardon in January after he had spent 12 years in jail. Ulbricht was arrested in 2013, convicted in 2015, and sentenced to 2 life sentences plus 40 years with out parole.

Others who’re in search of a presidential pardon embrace Sam Bankman-Fried’s dad and mom for his or her son’s involvement within the collapse of crypto trade FTX and Roger Ver who is looking on Trump to keep away from a jail sentence of up to 109 years.