Overview
- Teresa Goody Guillén said the pardon stemmed from a written application that moved through the Justice Department’s pardon office and White House Counsel before the president’s decision.
- She called claims of a purchased pardon impossible, arguing any crypto payoff would be publicly traceable on blockchains and has not been shown.
- Guillén framed CZ’s 2023 plea as a Bank Secrecy Act compliance failure rather than money laundering, with no fraud or identified victims.
- The attorney disputed reporting that connects Binance or CZ to World Liberty Financial and the USD‑1 stablecoin as evidence of influence, noting USD‑1 exists on multiple chains and exchanges.
- She said CZ will not return to lead Binance, which remains under U.S. oversight and restrictions, and she criticized public accusations from lawmakers as unsupported.