President Donald Trump has pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, who served prison time for failing to stop criminals from using the platform to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking, and terrorism.

This pardon comes following months of lobbying by the company and Zhao’s role in driving massive gains for the Trump family’s crypto venture. Signed on Wednesday, it’s the latest in a recent wave of controversial clemencies issued by the president.

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Zhao, who pleaded guilty in 2023, served four months in prison. According to The Wall Street Journal, prosecutors said illicit transactions under his oversight caused “significant harm to U.S. national security.”

Now, with Trump’s pardon, the wo

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