Did CZ Buy His Pardon? Trump’s Crypto Connections and Lobbying Shenanigans!

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Ah, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the former czar of Binance, had his little dance with the law and-surprise!-was granted a pardon by none other than the ever-charitable Donald Trump. But, as it turns out, this wasn’t just a random act of kindness from the Donald. No, no. This pardon was the grand finale of an exhaustive, not-so-pocket-change lobbying campaign in Washington. A campaign so elaborate, it could’ve been scripted by Hollywood itself.

So, let’s set the scene: Zhao, who had the misfortune of serving a four-month stint in prison last year for breaching US Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws, suddenly found himself in the sweet embrace of Trump’s magnanimity. According to a Sunday report by Politico-an outlet with a talent for investigative gossipy goodness-Binance and its crack legal team orchestrated a months-long, behind-the-scenes ballet to win over key figures in Trump’s orbit. Such persistence! You’d think they were auditioning for a role in the next Ocean’s Eleven sequel.

In September, Binance-armed with money, power, and determination-recruited none other than Ches McDowell, a former Trump Jr. associate, to lead the lobbying charge. And where did they plant their flag? Oh, just at the gates of the White House and the Treasury Department. Because why settle for a small-town lawyer when you can go straight to the top? McDowell’s firm, Checkmate Government Relations, raked in a tidy $450,000 for a mere 30 days of work. That’s some serious business-$15,000 a day, people. If only my bills were so generous!

And don’t think for a second that Binance was slowing down. Oh no. The company, which clearly has deep pockets and a profound love for Washington’s glitzy lobbying scene, had previously splashed over $1 million on political charm in 2022. But after a 2023 plea deal, they paused the circus for a while-only to jump right back in this year with another $860,000 in lobbying cash. Because, why not? A few extra million spent on securing a friendly handshake with the Trump administration never hurt anyone.

Binance Pays Big for the Big Names

Now, here’s where it gets juicier. In February, Binance and Zhao tapped another familiar name to help their cause: Teresa Goody Guillén, a crypto lawyer with a past that includes a brief flirtation with the SEC chair role under Trump. In the first few months of 2025 alone, her firm made a neat $290,000 from Binance’s lobbying efforts. That’s the price of playing in the big leagues, my friends.

Maxine Waters Isn’t Amused

But not everyone is thrilled about this cosmic confluence of crypto and politics. Enter US Representative Maxine Waters, who, like any reasonable person, took to the public stage to denounce Trump’s pardon of CZ. Waters wasn’t shy in calling it “a massive favor for crypto criminals,” which-let’s face it-is a bit dramatic but totally on-brand for politics these days.

Trump, naturally, defended his move, claiming Zhao had been “persecuted by the Biden administration” and that his actions “weren’t even a crime.” But Waters, with a mix of sarcasm and resignation, shot back, calling it “appalling but unsurprising.” Why? Well, she alleged that Zhao’s pardon was the result of months of deep-pocketed lobbying and a little financial backdoor deal involving Trump’s personal crypto venture, World Liberty Financial. Yes, folks. It seems everyone has their price-and Zhao’s was clearly hefty.

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2025-10-26 13:00