(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump stated in an interview on Sunday that he does not personally know Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire creator of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, whom he recently issued a pardon.

“Okay, are you ready? I don’t know who he is,” Trump told CBS News’ 60 Minutes during a wide-ranging discussion. “I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that, and I heard it was a Biden witch hunt.”

Zhao, also referred to as C.Z., admitted guilt in 2023 for failing to maintain an adequate anti-money laundering program at Binance.

He served a four-month prison term and was released in September 2024. The White House confirmed on October 23 that Trump had granted him a presidential pardon.

“President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by issuing a pardon for Mr. Zhao, who was prosecuted by the Biden Administration in their war on cryptocurrency,” said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt in a statement.

She criticized the Biden administration for pursuing Zhao “despite no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims.”

Binance, once recognized as the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, pleaded guilty to sanctions and licensing violations in 2023 and agreed to pay over $4 billion in fines.

The company has since been prohibited from operating in the United States, although a smaller affiliate, Binance.US, remains active.

During the CBS News interview, Trump faced questions regarding potential “pay-for-play” concerns after reports surfaced that Binance supported World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture co-founded by his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

MENAFN04112025000045017167ID1110291095