Binance co-founder CZ said he was somewhat surprised to have received a pardon from US President Donald Trump and denied having a business relationship with the Trump family in an interview on Friday.
CZ said Fox News that he never physically met or spoke with Trump before or after benefit from a presidential pardon in October, and only met Trump’s son Eric once at the Bitcoin Middle East and North Africa conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“There is no business relationship between me, Binance and World Liberty Finance,” CZ said. He added that he was unaware of the status of his pardon during the process:
“I didn’t know when or if it was going to happen. I think my lawyers filed the motion in April, and it took a few months. I didn’t know the progress. There was no indication of the extent of the process, etc. Then it happened one day.”
The pardon was met with mixed reactions, with the crypto community celebrating it as a victory for the industry and a reversal of the Biden administration’s anti-crypto policies, while Democratic lawmakers criticized the pardonaccusing Trump of political corruption.
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CZ’s pardon sparks controversy and accusations of paid mechanisms
At a press conference after the pardon, Trump said that he does not know CZ personallybut he was informed that the prosecution against him was politically motivated.
“He had a lot of support, and they said what he did wasn’t even a crime, it wasn’t a crime. He was persecuted by the Biden administration,” Trump said.
Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters accused Trump of enter into a “pay to play” agreementpardoning CZ in exchange for crypto investments in projects and platforms associated with the Trump family, including World Liberty Financial (WLFI).
The allegations also prompted several Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, to pen an open statement. letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, scrutinizing Trump and the pardon.
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