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Binance Founder’s Attorney Denies Pay-to-Play Allegations Over Presidential Pardon

Attorney Teresa Goody Guillén rejects bribery claims and criticizes targeted regulatory actions after President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao in an anti-money-laundering compliance case.

Summary

On October 22, U.S. President Donald Trump officially pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao over accusations tied to anti-money-laundering compliance failures. Zhao’s lawyer, Teresa Goody Guillén, denied bribery allegations, explained that the pardon followed the standard legal review process, and criticized what she described as targeted regulatory actions against Zhao in the aftermath of FTX’s collapse.

Terms & Concepts
  • Presidential Pardon: An official act by the head of state forgiving a person for a criminal offense and removing penalties.
  • Binance: A global cryptocurrency exchange platform founded by Changpeng Zhao, offering trading of various digital assets.
  • Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) Compliance: Regulatory procedures and controls designed to detect and prevent illicit financial activities such as money laundering.