Summary
President Donald Trump faced scrutiny after stating he did not know Changpeng Zhao, a cryptocurrency billionaire he pardoned. Zhao had pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering. The pardon and Trump's comments stirred debate over his use of pardon powers.
Key Facts
- President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, last month.
- Zhao had pleaded guilty to federal charges related to money laundering in 2023.
- He served a four-month prison sentence and was released in September 2024.
- In an interview, Trump stated he did not know Zhao despite pardoning him.
- Trump suggested he pardoned Zhao due to a belief that the Biden administration treated him unfairly.
- The White House commented that there were no fraud allegations or victims in Zhao's case.
- The pardon has sparked debate over the extent of Trump's use of presidential pardon powers.
