Changpeng Zhao Pardoned After Trump-Linked Lobby Campaign

Changpeng Zhao Pardoned Following Trump-Linked Lobby Campaign

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: October 27, 2025

Key Takeaways

Changpeng Zhao received a pardon from President Trump after Binance spent on lobbying efforts targeting key officials in Washington;
Binance hired Trump-linked firm Checkmate for $450,000 and crypto lawyer Teresa Goody Guillén for $290,000 ahead of Zhao’s pardon;
The company’s lobbying spending, once paused after a 2023 plea deal, resumed under Trump with new hires and payments.

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Changpeng Zhao, former CEO of Binance $11.43B , received a pardon from US President Donald Trump following a focused and costly lobbying campaign, according to a Politico report on October 26.

Zhao had served a four-month prison sentence for breaking US anti-money laundering laws.

Months before his pardon, Binance and its legal team worked behind the scenes to connect with people close to President Trump and key officials in Washington.

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In September 2024, Binance hired Checkmate Government Relations, led by Ches McDowell, a known associate of Donald Trump Jr. The firm was brought on to push for "executive relief" from both the White House and the Treasury Department.

According to the report, Checkmate was paid $450,000 for one month of work. In the past three months alone, the firm has earned $7.1 million from various clients.

Binance and Zhao also brought on Teresa Goody Guillén in February. Guillén, a lawyer with experience in crypto law, had previously been considered for a leadership role at the SEC during President Trump’s earlier term.

Her firm has received $290,000 from Binance and Zhao this year, Politico notes.

This is not Binance’s first time spending on lobbying. In 2022, the company invested over $1 million in such efforts but paused after a plea agreement in 2023.

Binance was recently in discussions with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to remove a condition from its 2023 legal settlement. What was the settlement about? Read the full story.