Binance, CZ & Trump
Binance and CZ: what the 2023 guilty pleas established
The corporate violations, Zhao's separate offence and the later pardon belong in one dated record.
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The admissions
On 21 November 2023, the US Department of Justice announced Binance's guilty plea involving anti-money-laundering, unlicensed money transmission and sanctions violations, with a resolution exceeding $4 billion. Changpeng Zhao separately pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering programme and resigned as CEO. The plea documents describe knowingly prioritising growth while serving US users without the required controls.
Sentence and clemency
The DOJ clemency register records a four-month prison sentence and $50 million fine for Zhao on 30 April 2024. It lists his presidential pardon under 21 October 2025. A useful historical account includes that later development rather than leaving readers with only the original charges. The individual pardon and the company's obligations are separate matters.
What this does not establish
These records are not a finding that every Binance trade was manipulated, that all customer assets were stolen or that BNB Chain transactions are controlled by the exchange. Those are different claims requiring different evidence. For the financial relationship involving USD1, read MGX, Binance and the Trump-linked stablecoin.
Sources
- US DOJ: Binance and Zhao guilty pleas, 21 November 2023
- US DOJ: presidential clemency register, Zhao entry dated 21 October 2025
Research checked 5 September 2026. Historical cases retain the date and legal status of the cited record.