Great News! Binance’s Zhao Changpeng Receives a Mere 4-Month Sentence, What Did CZ Reveal in Court?

After several hours of trial, Judge Richard Jones ultimately sentenced Zhao Changpeng to 4 months in prison, which is far below the previous request from the Department of Justice (prosecutors requested a 36-month sentence).
(Background:
Sentencing for CZ: U.S. Probation Office suggests 5 months probation, while the Department of Justice seeks a 3-year sentence, beware of BNB volatility.)
Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, attended a sentencing hearing at the United States District Court in Seattle on May 1st, Taiwan time (April 30th, U.S. time). After several hours of trial, Judge Richard Jones ultimately sentenced him to 4 months in prison, which is far below the previous request from the Department of Justice (prosecutors requested a 36-month sentence).
During the 2.5-hour sentencing hearing, both the judge, CZ’s defense attorney, and even the prosecutor acknowledged that this 47-year-old billionaire is not an ordinary criminal defendant. Instead, he is a philanthropist, a doer of good deeds, a first-time offender, and a family man who turned himself in and accepted responsibility for everything that may happen.
The exact date and location of his imprisonment will be announced separately by the Bureau of Prisons and the Probation Office, and CZ confirmed in court that he will accept the court’s judgment.
Statement from CZ in court:
Basically, despite the prosecution repeatedly suggesting an increase in sentencing to achieve punishment and reflect the severity of the crime, Judge Jones refused multiple times. Additionally, he mentioned that he had read the 161 letters submitted by CZ’s friends and family, and the evidence he saw had a mitigating nature.
Of course, the judge also mentioned that as the CEO of Binance, CZ is responsible for failing to fulfill anti-money laundering procedures, as this could have significant implications for money laundering activities, including drug trafficking and terrorism.
When it was CZ’s turn to make a statement, he admitted to the mistakes he made in the past and expressed full understanding of the importance of having a sound KYC/AML program. He stated that he has been trying to rectify this issue and has instructed Binance to cooperate with the U.S. government.


[CZ’s photo in court]
Bloomberg: If imprisoned, he will become the wealthiest prisoner in U.S. history
According to a Bloomberg report yesterday, CZ will become the wealthiest prisoner in the history of the U.S. federal prison system. This is because the ownership of Binance and his personal fortune of around $43 billion have not been affected by the case, and with Binance’s business growing in the next bull market, his wealth may further increase.


Related Reports
CZ Can Buy a Prison! Bloomberg: If Imprisoned, he will become the wealthiest prisoner in U.S. history, worth at least $43 billion
CZ’s Sentence: Big Bet? Polymarket: 44% are optimistic about Zhao Changpeng “being in prison for less than 6 months”
The Unknown CZ: Husband, Student, Father, Entrepreneur, 350 pages of support letters flooding into the court.