Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao has denied the publication of The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The article claimed that he had entered into a plea deal with the US authorities and would testify against Tron founder Justin Sun. Zhao called the article defamatory and aimed at undermining his reputation and that of Binance. Shortly before the publication, CZ reported that many people said that the WSJ was writing about him again «another baseless hate article».
According to the WSJ, Zhao allegedly agreed to this to settle his own legal problems.
«The WSJ is really trying. They seem to have forgotten who went to jail and who didn’t. People who witness the government don’t go to jail. They are protected. I heard that someone paid the WSJ staff to slander me», said Zhao.
He added that the lawyers have already contacted the publication to demand a refutation.
In 2023, Binance reached a settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice, paying a $4.3 billion fine for money laundering and sanctions violations. CZ resigned as CEO and pleaded guilty to separate charges, which will include inadequate anti-money laundering protection, Hhe spent 4 months in prison.
As for Justin Sahn, according to the WSJ, he is under the scrutiny of regulators. In 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed charges against Sahn and related companies for allegedly selling unregistered securities through TRX and BTT tokens.
Sun also objected any conflicts with CZ, calling him his mentor and close friend. At the same time, the Tron founder added that the US Department of Justice is one of the closest and most reliable partners of the T3 Financial Crimes Unit (T3FCU), and that together they have worked on numerous cases aimed at protecting users.
Binance’s token has remained resistant to rumors, with BNB’s value at $589 at the time of writing.