CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to one count of failure to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program in federal court in Seattle. That case was similar to practices uncovered after the collapse of FTX, the second largest cryptocurrency exchange, last year. Of his many depictions in the cryptocurrency industry, Zhao was best known as the chief rival to Bankman-Fried. Zhao and Bankman-Fried were originally friendly competitors in the industry, with Binance investing in FTX when Bankman-Fried launched the exchange in 2019. A jury found Bankman-Fried guilty of wire fraud and several other charge in October.

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Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Brian A, that's, Zhao, “, ”, Mark Bartlett, —, ” Bartlett, “ He’s, ” Zhao, Sam Bankman, Fried, FTX, Fatima Hussein, Ken Sweet, Whitehurst, Tucker Organizations: SEATTLE, Binance, U.S ., Associated Press, United, United Arab Emirates, U.S Locations: Seattle, Binance, Cayman Islands, FTX, United Arab, UAE, Washington ,, New York