Fun

‘Wealthiest US prisoner’: How did Binance founder CZ get there?

News Feed - 2024-09-28 06:09:05

Helen Partz3 hours ago‘Wealthiest US prisoner’: How did Binance founder CZ get there?Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao is the wealthiest person to serve jail time in the US, with current net worth estimated more than $60 billion.424 Total views1 Total sharesListen to article 0:00NewsOwn this piece of crypto historyCollect this article as NFTCOINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEEDFollow ourSubscribe onBinance founder and former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has served his four-month sentence in the United States and left prison on Sept. 27.


The crypto entrepreneur has become the wealthiest person to ever serve jail time in the US, with a reported personal fortune of nearly $60 billion, making him the 25th richest man in the world.


Related:Binance founder CZ walks free from US prison


“We are delighted that CZ will be home with his family,” a spokesperson for Binance told Cointelegraph, adding:“While he is not managing or operating Binance, we are excited to see what he does next. Since last year, Binance has continued to thrive under the leadership of our current team, surpassing 230 million users globally.”


As Zhao’s post-prison updates are yet to come, it might be worth looking back at the story of how one of the world’s biggest billionaires and crypto executives made it to jail.What were the charges that brought CZ to prison?


Binance founder CZ was sentenced to four months in prison on money laundering charges in April 2024.


The sentence came a few months after CZ pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to violating US Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws and stepped down as CEO in November 2023. 


According to an official statement by the US Department of Justice, CZ’s guilty plea included not only AML violations but also unlicensed money transmitting and sanctions violations.


Zhao’s four-month sentence was a significant relief as the US DOJ originally sought him to serve 36 months in prison in an effort to “reflect the seriousness of the offense.”An excerpt from a US sentencing memorandum against Binance founder Changpeng Zhao filed on April 23. Source:Bwbx.io


“Zhao knew that his decision not to implement an effective AML program would result in Binance facilitating transactions between US users and users in Iran and other sanctioned countries and regions in violation of US law,” the prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memo.Why did the judge order lighter punishment?


Given the DOJ’s willingness to show the seriousness of CZ’s charges, many in the crypto community and beyond were surprised about his eventual four-month sentence.


During the hearing on April 30, Seattle district court Judge Richard Jones justified his decision on the four-month sentence by stating that there was no evidence that Zhao had been informed of any illegal activities at Binance.CZ arrives at federal court in Seattle on April 30, 2024. Source: CNBC


Judge Jones also reportedly pointed to many letters of support sent by CZ’s acquaintances, claiming that he has never seen such a large amount of uniformly laudatory testimonials about a defendant.


Related:Binance continues to serve Russian users despite 2023 exit


While the crypto community rushed to speculate on CZ’s secret deal with the US government, Judge Jones stressed that CZ’s wealth and influence did not place him above the law.CZ’s wealth and his 90% Binance stake remain unaffected


While CZ agreed to pay a $50 million fine as part of his case in the US in November last year, Binance also paid $4.3 billion in penalties for breaking US AML laws. However, CZ’s personal fortune has not been affected by the case.


Additionally, the Binance founder continues to hold the majority stake in Binance, reportedly estimated to hold 90% in the exchange.CZ’s estimated real-time net worth. Source: Forbes


In 2021, CZ claimed that he didn’t own any real estate or much capital in fiat currencies, stating that his crypto holdings made up nearly 100% of his entire net worth. He also publicly disclosed that he sold his house in 2013 to buy Bitcoin (BTC) and start his crypto journey.


According to Forbes, CZ owns 64% of the total supply of BNB (BNB), the native cryptocurrency of the Binance exchange.


Magazine:Worldcoin fined again! Crypto store clerk runs off with $500K cash: Asia Express# Law# Business# Changpeng Zhao# Binance# RegulationAdd reaction

News Feed

Binance CEO CZ Responds to US Regulator’s Charges
Binance CEO CZ Responds to US Regulator"s Charges Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has addressed the allegations against him by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Bitcoin, Ethereum Technical Analysis: BTC Hits 2-Month High, Climbing Above $19,000
Bitcoin, Ethereum Technical Analysis: BTC Hits 2-Month High, Climbing Above $19,000 Bitcoin continued to trade higher on Jan. 13, with prices racing above the $19,000 level, hittin
DOJ Asks Victims of Sam Bankman-Fried’s Fraud to Come Forward
DOJ Asks Victims of Sam Bankman-Fried"s Fraud to Come Forward The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked victims of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF)’s fraud to come
GoMeat Token – Empowering Local Specialty Stores Using Blockchain
GoMeat Token - Empowering Local Specialty Stores Using Blockchain press release PRESS RELEASE. GoMeat Services (https://gomeat.io) is a digital marketplace connecting consumers with
Ethereum ETF launch drives $2.2B inflows — CoinShares
Josh O"Sullivan13 hours agoEthereum ETF launch drives $2.2B inflows — CoinSharesCoinShares reports that spot-based Ether ETFs, debuted with a significant $2.2 billion of inflows, offset by Grayscale’s $285 million in
William Suberg8 hours agoBitcoin price fights for $26K as US dollar strength hits 10-month highBitcoin faces the highest levels in the U.S. Dollar Index of 2023 so far as BTC price action wobbles.1516 Total views46 Total
El Salvador Chivo Wallet Programmer Opens Up About Alleged ID Fraud, Tech and Money Laundering Issues
El Salvador Chivo Wallet Programmer Opens Up About Alleged ID Fraud, Tech and Money Laundering Issues A Chivo wallet programmer has opened up about the different problems that the
BTC Futures Open Interest Soars Leading up to Bitcoin ETF’s Official Launch
BTC Futures Open Interest Soars Leading up to Bitcoin ETF"s Official Launch Prior to the launch of the Proshares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO), open interest in bitcoin futures produ
Amaka Nwaokocha14 hours agoSEC vs. Coinbase: New lawyer Patrick Kennedy joins fightLawyer Patrick Kennedy files a motion to appear pro hac vice in the Coinbase vs. U.S. SEC lawsuit for the Chamber of Digital Commerce.235
Ethereum Foundation Revamps Leadership Amid Market Volatility
Este artículo también está disponible en español. The Ethereum Foundation has announced a significant shake-up in its leadership ranks, appointing two newco-executive dir
21 Bitcoin Block Rewards from 2010 Wake Up, $236M Worth of ‘Satoshi Era’ BTC Spent in 10 Months
21 Bitcoin Block Rewards from 2010 Wake Up, $236M Worth of "Satoshi Era" BTC Spent in 10 Months On Monday, January 25, 2021, at roughly 2 a.m. (EST), the notorio
Coinbase Ventures Backed Startup to Build Pan-African Crypto Exchange With $23 Million Capital Raise
Coinbase Ventures Backed Startup to Build Pan-African Crypto Exchange With $23 Million Capital Raise The African startup, Mara, recently said it has raised about $23 million in fun