Трамп помиловал Чанпэна Чжао, несмотря на обвинения в сотрудничестве с террористами Translated Headline: Trump pardons Changpeng Zhao despite allegations of collaboration with terrorists.

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has received a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I am profoundly thankful for today’s pardon and appreciative of President Trump’s support for America’s commitment to the principles of justice, innovation, and fairness,” Zhao expressed on X.

The initial report came from The Wall Street Journal. Journalists noted that the pardon was signed on October 22. Subsequently, White House Press Secretary Carolina Levitt confirmed the details.

“President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by pardoning Mr. Zhao, who faced legal action from the [Joe] Biden administration as part of their crackdown on cryptocurrency,” she stated.

Throughout the year, there were numerous speculations about a potential pardon for CZ, although the businessman consistently denied such rumors.

Many market participants expressed surprise on social media regarding the U.S. President’s decision.

Support for Zhao and gratitude towards Trump were shared by the current CEO of Binance, Richard Teng, as well as the exchange’s official account.

“The extraordinary news of CZ’s pardon reflects not only on his personal journey but also on how far the cryptocurrency industry has come. Zhao’s belief in the power of cryptocurrencies and in empowering users laid the foundation for much of what exists today,” Teng remarked.

However, investor and entrepreneur Adam Cochran approached the situation with skepticism. According to him, CZ admitted guilt in violating sanctions and “consciously allowed” organizations such as Hamas and the Wagner Group to use Binance.

Cochran also noted that Zhao and his projects maintain close ties to the presidential family.

“Trump made it clear that in the U.S., crime is permissible if you can pay him enough—then he will forgive you, even if you’ve admitted guilt in aiding dangerous terrorist organizations,” Cochran added.

It’s worth recalling that in September 2024, Zhao was released from prison after serving a four-month sentence for money laundering and other illegal activities. Under a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice, he agreed to pay a $50 million fine and step down as CEO of the exchange.

Binance has permanently barred CZ from management. Nonetheless, Teng highlighted that Zhao remains the largest shareholder, with his stake in the company reaching 90%, according to Bloomberg.