Binance co-founder and former CEO, Changpeng Zhao, has accused The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of targeting him and the crypto industry, alleging that “forces” in the US are attempting to hinder the country’s effort to develop the sector.
On Friday, Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, criticized The WSJ for another alleged anti-crypto “hit piece.” The Binance co-founder took X to express his disappointment in the news media outlet for resorting to “Cunningham’s Law, with negative intentions” instead of “doing journalism.”
A spokesman for WLFI affirmed that Zhao and Zach Witkoff are friends, but the Binance founder “doesn’t act as a fixer.” In response to these claims, CZ shared a snippet from the original questions sent to him, which affirmed that he was a “fixer” for the WLFI co-founder:
“We understand that CZ has been serving as effectively a fixer for Zach Witkoff and the WLF team in their foreign travels … In recent months, CZ has met with government officials from Pakistan, Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan … We understand that CZ then connected Mr Saqib with the World Liberty Financial team, and a week later after his visit, World Liberty named Mr Saqib an adviser. On April 26, the WLF team arrived in Pakistan to sign a MoU with the government.”
Zhao denied making any introductions for World Liberty’s foreign travels, stating, “I am not a fixer for anyone. I did NOT ‘connect Mr. Saqib with the WLF team’”. He explained that Witkoff and Mr. Saqib already knew each other, unlike him, who only “met with Mr. Saqib for the first time in Pakistan.”
The Binance founder considers that forces in the US are trying to “hinder efforts in making the US the capital of crypto,” attempting to attack the industry, its global leaders, and the pro-crypto administration. The “WSJ is just the mouthpiece,” he affirmed.
WLFI’s spokesman, David Wachsman, told The WSJ that the company’s business deals have nothing to do with the US government, affirming that the company “wouldn’t even have the ability or insight to discuss official government business.”
He added that “attempting to frame WLFI and Ambassador Witkoff taking meetings in the same country as some sort of conflict of interest” is incorrect. Notably, Steve Witkoff is the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, and one of WLFI’s co-founders alongside his son.
This was part of the global exchange’s alleged plan to return to the US and obtain an official pardon for its former CEO. However, CZ denied the “deal for a pardon” allegations, stating, “The WSJ article got the facts wrong.”
