Money Laundering

Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, was sentenced to four months in prison in April 2024 over money laundering allegations. In 2025, he is campaigning for a pardon, citing concerns about the severity of the sentence and his safety.

The U.S. Senate and House are moving forward with bills to regulate digital assets, specifying that major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether are not securities, while introducing disclosure rules for issuers. Meanwhile, the Tornado Cash co-founder faces allegations of enabling money laundering.

Turkey is enforcing new measures to combat money laundering through cryptocurrencies, including withdrawal waiting periods and stablecoin transfer caps. These efforts target illegal activities such as fraud and betting, aiming for increased transparency in crypto transactions.

Veer Chetal, aged 19, has admitted guilt in a massive $245 million bitcoin theft scheme involving social engineering scams. Coordinating with co-defendants, he stole thousands of bitcoins and is now cooperating with federal investigators amid a broader $260 million crypto theft racketeering case.

In May 2025, Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned following a scandal involving an unverified Bitcoin donation. The case has prompted an investigation into potential money laundering and official misconduct, escalating political tensions in the Czech Republic.