Binance co-founder CZ denied having a business relationship with the Trump family after receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump in October. CZ clarified that he never met or spoke with Trump and only met his son Eric once at a conference in Abu Dhabi. The pardon sparked controversy in the crypto community, with Democratic lawmakers criticizing Trump for political corruption.

Trump stated in a press conference that he did not personally know CZ but was advised that the case against him was politically motivated. He defended the pardon, claiming that CZ had a lot of support and was unfairly persecuted by the Biden administration. Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters accused Trump of engaging in a “pay-to-play” agreement with CZ.

The allegations led Democratic lawmakers such as Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to write an open letter to attorney general Pam Bondi, seeking scrutiny of Trump and the CZ pardon. The letter raised concerns about potential financial motivations behind the pardon and its implications for the crypto industry.

Read more at Cointelegraph: CZ Pushes Back on Pardon Allegations, Says He Doesn’t Personally Know Trump