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Binance co-founder CZ expressed that he was somewhat astonished at obtaining a pardon from United States President Donald Trump and refuted having a business connection with the Trump family during an interview on Friday.
CZ stated to Fox News that he never physically encountered or spoke with Trump before or after receiving 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 association between myself, Binance, and World Liberty Finance,” CZ remarked. He noted that he was unaware of the status of his pardon throughout the procedure:
“I was not informed when or if it would occur. I believe my attorneys filed the petition in April, and it took several months. I wasn’t aware of the progress. There were no indications of how far it advanced, etc. Then, it materialized one day.”
The pardon elicited mixed responses, with the crypto community regarding it as a victory for the industry and a reversal of the anti-crypto stance by the Biden administration, while Democratic lawmakers criticized the pardon, accusing Trump of political misconduct.
Related: How Changpeng Zhao regained authority between incarceration and pardon
CZ pardon ignites debate and allegations of pay-to-play schemes
During a press conference following the pardon, Trump remarked that he is not personally acquainted with CZ, but was advised that the case against him was politically driven.
“He had a significant amount of support, and they indicated that what he did is not even considered a crime, it wasn’t a crime. He was targeted by the Biden administration,” Trump stated.
Democratic Representative Maxine Waters accused Trump of entering into a “pay-to-play” deal, granting CZ a pardon in return for crypto investments into ventures and platforms linked to the Trump family, including World Liberty Financial (WLFI).
The accusations also prompted several Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, to compose an open letter to attorney general Pam Bondi, questioning Trump and the pardon.
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