CZ's Lawyer Dismisses "Paid-for Pardon" Claims, Calls It a Disinformation Campaign

Binance co-founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao's personal attorney Teresa Goody Guillén has forcefully denied allegations that CZ "bought" a pardon from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Appearing on the Pomp Podcast, Guillén called the recent criticism "a pile of misstatements stacked on top of each other," emphasizing that public commentators are fundamentally mischaracterizing what happened.

Pushing Back Against Political Accusations

Guillén specifically called out Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who accused CZ of "providing benefits" to a Trump-affiliated project and lobbying for a pardon. According to Guillén, these claims are false and violate even the most basic standards of factual accuracy.

"She stated that CZ was convicted of crimes he was never convicted of," Guillén said, while also criticizing the "political immunity" that allows lawmakers to hurl unfounded accusations without any accountability.

She argued the episode points to a deeper problem: politicians have far too much room to spread misinformation with zero checks on their behavior.

A Pardon for "Justice," Not Privilege

On Trump's decision to grant the pardon, Guillén framed it as an act meant to "restore justice."

She argued that CZ had been made into a scapegoat in America's war on crypto — particularly in the aftermath of the FTX collapse, when regulators were under intense pressure to crack down on the industry. Meanwhile, traditional finance executives who committed similar violations were never charged or jailed.

"CZ is the only person who was ever prosecuted — and worse, imprisoned — over a charge with no fraud, no victims, and no criminal history," Guillén stated.

In her view, the circumstances at the time forced enforcement agencies to "pick someone to make an example of," and Binance became the target precisely because of its size.

Debunking the "Pay-for-Pardon" Narrative

Guillén also described media reports linking CZ to World Liberty — a project widely believed to be associated with Trump — as "baseless speculation."

"We're seeing false assumptions built on a fundamental misunderstanding of how business works, let alone how blockchain works," she said.

She stated there is zero evidence that CZ paid, financially supported, or provided any benefit to Trump in exchange for the pardon.

The Broader Fallout

CZ's pardon has sparked widespread debate across political circles and the crypto community. While many see it as a positive signal for the industry — reflecting Trump's softer stance toward digital assets — critics view it as a sign of "political corruption."

Guillén's detailed and combative response, however, makes clear that CZ's legal team is determined to push back against every unfounded accusation, while reframing the narrative around vindicating a legitimate case caught in the complexity of U.S. politics and law.