Gavin Newsom Launches Website Tracking Trump’s Crypto-Linked Pardons
California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a website that tracks pardons issued by former President Donald Trump, specifically highlighting crypto figures such as Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Ross Ulbricht, and the BitMEX co-founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Gregory Dwyer, and Samuel Reed, along with HDR Global Trading Limited.
The tracker is part of a broader Democratic critique aimed at exposing Trump's connections with various cryptocurrency figures, portraying the former president as linked to controversial figures within the crypto industry. Notably, the site notes that CZ’s pardon was full and unconditional, despite Zhao having pled guilty to money laundering tied to Binance and illicit funds on the platform.
The website also connects Binance to World Liberty Financial and mocks Trump's claim of not knowing Zhao. It further mentions Binance's involvement with the USD1 stablecoin, although Binance denies any connection to Zhao's pardon.
Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder, received a pardon for narcotics and money laundering convictions related to the Silk Road platform, which facilitated substantial illegal drug sales. Additionally, BitMEX co-founders were pardoned in March after pleading guilty to Bank Secrecy Act violations. HDR Global Trading Limited was also among those pardoned.
Democrats have voiced concerns about Trump's crypto ties and potential conflicts of interest, highlighting allegations that the Trump family earned hundreds of millions in cryptocurrency. Scrutiny has also been placed on regulatory actions such as the PancakeSwap/USD1 controversy. Letters from Senator Elizabeth Warren and rhetoric from House Democrats frame the White House as entangled with criminal associates in the crypto sector.
