Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Chris Giancarlo has emphasized former U.S. President Donald Trump’s critical role in the cryptocurrency industry, dubbing him “America’s first crypto president” due to the approval of bitcoin futures during his administration. Trump’s crypto stance has evolved significantly since he was in office. ‘Trump May Justifiably Claim to Be […]
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Former Alameda Research Boss Sam Trabucco Reemerges to Defend Ryan Salame Before Sentencing
Reports indicate that Sam Trabucco, the former co-CEO of the cryptocurrency trading firm Alameda Research, penned a letter to the judge set to sentence Ryan Salame, co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets. Trabucco’s letter emerged amidst numerous inquiries about his whereabouts throughout the ongoing turmoil. In his message, Trabucco referred to Salame as his “best friend” […]
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Former Bitmex Chief Expects Bitcoin to Trade Within $60K-$70K Range Until August
Former Bitmex CEO Arthur Hayes predicts bitcoin will range-bound trade between ,000 and ,000 until August. “The slow addition of billions of dollars of liquidity each month will dampen negative price movement from here on out,” Hayes said, adding that he expects “prices to bottom, chop, and begin a slow grind higher.” Arthur Hayes’ Bitcoin […]
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Former Binance CEO CZ: I Will Do My Time — Crypto Industry Has Entered a New Phase
Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has expressed his gratitude to the crypto community for their support following his four-month U.S. prison sentence for pleading guilty to money laundering charges. “I will remain a passive investor (and holder) in crypto. Our industry has entered a new phase. Compliance is super important,” Zhao emphasized. CZ: Binance […]
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BREAKING: Former Binance CEO CZ Behind Bars: Sentenced To Jail For 4 Months
In a significant development for the crypto industry, Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as CZ, the founder of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has been imprisoned for four months.
The sentencing follows his guilty plea to charges related to enabling money laundering activities within his crypto exchange. The verdict was delivered in Seattle federal court and marks the culmination of US authorities’ multiyear investigation into Binance.
Lighter Sentence For Binance Founder
The sentence handed down to Zhao was notably less severe than the three-year prison term sought by federal prosecutors. In contrast, the defense had requested five months of probation, ultimately given the outcome wanted.
Under the terms of a settlement reached in November of 2023, Zhao agreed to step down as CEO of Binance, as part of an agreement to resolve the investigation.
The probe primarily focused on allegations that Binance failed to implement an effective anti-money laundering program, as the Bank Secrecy Act required.
Regulatory Pressure Mounts
Zhao was also accused of knowingly allowing Binance to process transactions involving funds derived from unlawful activities, including transactions between US citizens and individuals residing in sanctioned jurisdictions.
As part of the resolution, Binance was ordered to pay an imposing .3 billion fines and forfeiture. Additionally, Changpeng Zhao personally agreed to pay a substantial million fine, underscoring the severity of the charges and the commitment to accountability.
The legal challenges for Binance do not end there. The company faces separate lawsuits from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for alleged mishandling of customer assets and operating an illegal, unregistered exchange within the United States.
As of this writing, the exchange’s native token, Binance Coin (BNB), is trading at 3, down over 3% in the last 24 hours and 7% in the last seven days.
Featured image from Bloomberg, chart from TradingView.com
Former Binance Boss Changpeng Zhao Sentenced to 4 Months in Jail
On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), formerly the CEO of Binance, was sentenced in a Seattle courtroom for his compliance failures at the cryptocurrency exchange. The sentencing was first covered by Nikhilesh De and Danny Nelson of Coindesk, who reported directly from the courthouse. Per Nikhilesh De’s X thread, the proceedings began with […]
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Former Openbazaar Dev Chris Pacia Blasts Lightning Network: Experts Knew It Would Work ‘Like Dog Sh*t’
Chris Pacia, the former lead developer of the now-defunct decentralized marketplace Openbazaar, has criticized the process that led to the proposal of Bitcoin’s lightning network (LN) as a scaling solution. Pacia stated that technical experts lied to the mainstream audience in the blocksize war’s framework, knowing that LN would work “like dog sh*t.” Former Openbazaar […]
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Former President Donald Trump’s Advisers Explore Penalties for Nations Ditching US Dollar
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic advisers are reportedly devising strategies to deter nations from reducing their reliance on the U.S. dollar. Proposed deterrents include export controls, currency manipulation charges, and tariffs. Trump remains committed to preserving the U.S. dollar’s dominance as the global reserve currency. Nonetheless, a growing number of countries, particularly BRICS members, […]
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Former Binance Boss CZ Apologizes, Accepts Responsibility Ahead of Sentencing
Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, has publicly apologized for his past decisions and accepted full responsibility for his actions. This comes as U.S. prosecutors are seeking a 36-month prison sentence for Zhao in connection with compliance failures at the cryptocurrency exchange. Changpeng Zhao Issues Apology as Sentencing Nears In a letter to the […]
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Former Bitmex Chief Expects Crypto Prices to ‘Slump’ Around the Bitcoin Halving
Former Bitmex CEO Arthur Hayes has explained why he believes that “bitcoin and crypto prices in general will slump around the halving.” He added that from now until May 1, he “will be in a no-trade zone,” emphasizing that “April will experience extreme weakness in risky asset markets.” Bitcoin Price Will ‘Slump Around the Halving,’ […]
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