Trump Admits To Not Knowing Criminal With Trafficking Ties Despite Pardoning Him

In a recent televised interview on 60 Minutes, former President Donald Trump addressed his controversial decision to pardon Changpeng Zhao (commonly known as “CZ”), founder of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Trump claimed he did not know Zhao personally, despite having granted the pardon last month.

When asked why he issued the pardon, Trump said he was told Zhao was a victim of what he described as a “witch-hunt” by the previous administration. He remarked: “I don’t know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.”

Zhao had pleaded guilty in 2023 to charges that his exchange failed to stop money-laundering activities, including transfers tied to drug traffickers and child sex abuse material, according to U.S. prosecutors. As part of his plea, Zhao served about four months in federal prison and paid a substantial fine.

The pardon is raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. Reports indicate that Binance and Trump’s family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Finance, have had business ties and shared dealings. Critics say the decision may signal favoritism or the appearance of pay-for-play. During the interview, when asked about those concerns, Trump replied that he was “too busy doing the other” things to know much about it.

In defense of the pardon, the White House said the Justice Department had unfairly targeted the crypto industry and that the Biden administration’s approach had harmed America’s global competitiveness. They framed the pardon as correcting an overstep. Meanwhile, Zhao thanked Trump publicly, calling the pardon a reaffirmation of America’s commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice.

As regulatory and legal scrutiny of the crypto sector intensifies, the pardon of a high-profile figure like Zhao signals broader questions about how the U.S. government will treat digital-asset platforms going forward, and whether enforcement will give way to industry-friendly policy.