Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, former CEO of Binance, has denied claims that he agreed to testify against Tron founder Justin Sun as part of a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Denial of Rumors
On April 11, an article in the Wall Street Journal claimed that Zhao had agreed to testify against Sun as part of his settlement with U.S. prosecutors. However, in a post on X, CZ stated that the information was false, adding, 'People who become government witnesses don’t go to prison. They are protected. I heard someone paid WSJ employees to smear me.'
Situation with Justin Sun
Zhao further clarified that Justin Sun, his close friend and mentor, was not aware of the circulating rumors. 'Sun is my mentor and close friend,' he stated. The alleged deal has not been corroborated by other sources.
Lobbying and Influence
CZ speculated that the negative information about him may be linked to lobbying efforts against his business. He remarked, 'I also heard some rumors about some players lobbying against us again in the U.S.' Zhao mentioned that previously FTX sought regulatory crackdowns on Binance to increase its market share.
The situation surrounding Changpeng Zhao and Justin Sun continues to evolve, but CZ insists on his innocence and refutes the information regarding a plea deal with the DOJ.
