Leexim
CZ Confirms He Has Submitted a Pardon Request to Donald Trump
Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as CZ and the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has confirmed that he submitted a request for a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump in relation to his money laundering conviction—despite having previously denied the reports.
Speaking in a May 6 episode of the Farokh Radio podcast, CZ said he “wouldn’t mind” being pardoned and revealed that his legal team had already submitted the paperwork on his behalf. “I’ve got lawyers applying,” he said, explaining that the decision came after Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported in March that he was seeking a pardon, amid news of a potential business deal between the Trump family and Binance.US.
Although CZ denied those reports at the time, he told the podcast: “I figured, if they’re already writing this article, I might as well officially apply.”
He also mentioned that Trump’s previous pardon of the three BitMEX co-founders—including Arthur Hayes—inspired him to take the step. According to CZ, the application was filed about two weeks ago.
At the time of the reports by Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, CZ remarked that “no felon would mind a pardon,” and noted that he is the only person in U.S. history to have served prison time for violating the Bank Secrecy Act.
In November 2023, CZ pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge as part of a deal between Binance and U.S. authorities. Under the agreement, Binance paid a $4.3 billion fine, with CZ contributing $50 million and stepping down as CEO.
