Verify a decision

{"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"8e9faaa2-e84c-4e35-af62-8549b942e841","kind":"publish","page_slug":"changpeng-zhao","published_at":"2026-05-30T18:32:22.001Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Changpeng Zhao","sections":[{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changpeng_Zhao","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://cryptopotato.com/who-is-changpeng-zhao/","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://beincrypto.com/people/changpeng-zhao/","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/binance-and-ceo-plead-guilty-federal-charges-4b-resolution","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.justice.gov/criminal/case/united-states-v-changpeng-zhao","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.npr.org/2023/11/21/1214466415/binance-cz-changpeng-zhao-pleads-guilty-settlement-crypto-doj","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1925","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://ofac.treasury.gov/system/files/2023-11/20231121_binance.pdf","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/11/21/binance-to-make-complete-exit-from-us-pay-billions-to-fincen-ofac-on-top-of-doj-settlement","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8825-23","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8680-23","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/11/21/binance-changpeng-cz-zhao-to-pay-285b-fine-in-cftc-settlement","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/30/binance-founder-changpeng-zhao-cz-sentenced-to-four-months-in-prison-.html","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://fortune.com/crypto/2024/04/30/binance-founder-changpeng-cz-zhao-sentenced-to-4-months-in-prison-will-enter-as-countrys-richest-inmate/","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2024/06/03/former-binance-ceo-cz-begins-4-month-prison-sentence-in-california","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2024/09/16/cz-set-to-be-released-from-prison-on-september-29","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/23/trump-pardons-binance-founder-cz-zhao.html","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.axios.com/2025/11/03/trump-binance-founder-pardon-60-minutes-changpeng-zhao","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.factcheck.org/2025/11/addressing-trumps-claims-about-the-pardon-of-binance-founder/","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://time.com/7328278/what-to-know-about-trumps-pardon-of-binances-founder/","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/binance-trump-crypto-lawsuit-pardon.html","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-24/binance-faces-lawsuit-by-hamas-victims-under-anti-terrorism-law","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/11/25/oct-7-hamas-attack-victims-sue-binance-for-damages","type":"other","url":""}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"https://www.datawallet.com/crypto/cz-net-worth","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://fortune.com/2026/03/12/binance-accounts-iranian-entities-sanctions-chinese-vips-gold-smuggler/","type":"other","url":""},{"credibility":3,"name":"https://coinpedia.org/news/binances-cz-net-worth-jumps-to-110b-in-forbes-richest-list/","type":"other","url":""}]}],"sources_used":[],"summary":"Changpeng Zhao (CZ), born February 10, 1977, is the founder and former CEO of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. On November 21, 2023, Zhao pleaded guilty to a federal charge of failing to implement an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program under the Bank Secrecy Act, as part of a landmark $4.3 billion resolution between Binance and U.S. federal regulators. He was sentenced to four months in federal prison in April 2024, served that term, and was subsequently pardoned by President Donald Trump in October 2025.","timeline":[{"date":"1977-02-05","event":"Changpeng Zhao born in Jiangsu, China","source":""},{"date":"2017-07-01","event":"Binance launched; becomes world's largest crypto exchange by trading volume within 180 days","source":""},{"date":"2023-03-27","event":"CFTC files civil enforcement action against Binance and Zhao for willful evasion of the Commodity Exchange Act and illegal derivatives exchange operation","source":""},{"date":"2023-11-21","event":"Zhao pleads guilty in Seattle federal court to Bank Secrecy Act violation; Binance settles with DOJ, FinCEN, OFAC, and CFTC for combined penalties exceeding $4.3 billion; Zhao resigns as Binance CEO","source":""},{"date":"2024-04-30","event":"U.S. District Judge Richard Jones sentences Zhao to four months in federal prison, below the three-year term sought by prosecutors; personal fine of $50 million","source":""},{"date":"2024-06-03","event":"Zhao reports to federal prison facility in Lompoc, California","source":""},{"date":"2024-09-27","event":"Zhao released from federal custody two days ahead of scheduled release date","source":""},{"date":"2025-10-23","event":"President Donald Trump issues presidential pardon to Changpeng Zhao, generating bipartisan criticism and scrutiny over Trump family crypto business ties to Binance","source":""},{"date":"2025-11-24","event":"More than 300 October 7 attack victims and family members file suit against Binance and Zhao under the Anti-Terrorism Act seeking treble damages, alleging over $1 billion in Hamas-linked transactions","source":""},{"date":"2026-03-12","event":"Fortune reports ongoing DOJ investigation into Iranian sanctions evasion through Binance VIP accounts, with internal investigators identifying transfers exceeding $1 billion to Iran-linked entities","source":""}]},"v":1}