<b>Changpeng "CZ" Zhao</b>, the founder and former CEO of Binance, has publicly addressed his recent presidential pardon by Donald Trump, expressing genuine surprise at the clemency and forcefully denying any quid pro quo arrangement involving the Trump family’s crypto ventures. CZ's pardon, which nullified his conviction for failing to maintain an effective <b>Anti-Money Laundering (AML)</b> program, has drawn intense scrutiny and accusations of political corruption from Democratic lawmakers.
<h2>No Prior Knowledge of Pardon Timing</h2>
In recent interviews, <a href="https://www.cryptoknowmics.com/news/trump-pardons-cz-claims-ignorance-of-binance-founder/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CZ</a> stated that he never spoke to President Trump before or after receiving the pardon, maintaining that he was unaware of the process's status or timing. He noted that his legal team had submitted the pardon request months prior, but there was <b>"no indication of how far it went along, etc."</b> until the news broke.

This statement aligns with the White House's defense that the pardon was issued because the prosecution was a politically motivated "war on cryptocurrency" by the previous administration. However, the timing has raised significant questions regarding the intersection of politics and the crypto industry.
<h2>Denial of Business Links Amidst Scrutiny</h2>
The controversy escalated due to reported ties between CZ's company, Binance, and the <b>Trump family's crypto startup, World Liberty Financial (WLF)</b>, a company co-founded by the President's sons. Reports detailed how a large investment fund used WLF's stablecoin, USD1, for a substantial purchase in Binance, prompting allegations of a "pay-for-play" scheme.

Addressing these rumors directly, CZ was unequivocal, stating: <b>"There is no business relationship between me, Binance, and World Liberty Financial."</b> Other Binance executives have echoed this denial, insisting that the listing of USD1 and the subsequent investment transaction were purely business decisions driven by the external investing fund, MGX, and not influenced by any attempt to secure the pardon for their former CEO.

CZ Expresses Surprise at Pardon, Vehemently Denies Ties to Trump Crypto Venture

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) was surprised by his pardon and publicly denied any business or financial ties to the Trump family's crypto venture.

CZ Expresses Surprise at Pardon, Vehemently Denies Ties to Trump Crypto Venture

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