Overview
- In a Fox News Special Report interview, Changpeng "CZ" Zhao said there was no business relationship between him, Binance, and World Liberty Financial, calling The Wall Street Journal’s account "categorically false."
- Zhao said he was "a little bit surprised" by the pardon and explained that his lawyers submitted a petition in April with no updates before clemency was granted.
- He acknowledged meeting Eric Trump once at a Bitcoin conference in Abu Dhabi but denied any broader ties to the Trump family.
- President Trump told 60 Minutes he does not know Zhao, and the White House framed the pardon as ending what it called the prior administration’s crackdown on crypto.
- Zhao previously pleaded guilty in 2023 to a Bank Secrecy Act violation and served four months in prison, while the Journal said it stands by its reporting on alleged dealings tied to the Trump family venture.