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Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former CEO of crypto exchange Binance, heads to a Seattle courtroom on Tuesday to learn whether the crimes he admitted to committing will land him in prison for an extended sentence. As part of his plea deal with the Department of Justice, Zhao agreed to step down as CEO. Once a titan of the crypto sector, Zhao grew Binance into the world's largest centralized crypto exchange globally. Unlike rival exchange FTX, which collapsed into bankruptcy when founder Sam Bankman-Fried was criminally charged, Binance has continued to operate. Binance processed a whopping $18.1 trillion worth of trading volume in 2023, according to data from CCData, a crypto market data firm.

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Richard Jones, Binance, Sam Bankman, Fried, Nansen, he's Organizations: Department of Justice, District, Prosecutors, Bank, U.S, Justice Department, Futures Trading Commission, Treasury Department, SEC Locations: Seattle, U.S, CCData, Iran

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao speaks at a Binance fifth anniversary event in Paris, France, July 8, 2022. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani agrees, adding that Zhao's personal wealth won't be affected by his sentence. That's a different siutation from Sam Bankman-Fried, the controversial ex-CEO and founder of crypto exchange FTX. Bankman-Fried received a 25-year prison term for crimes connected to the operation of his crypto exchange. "Negative long-term impact on Binance will diminish the value of CZ's investment in the crypto exchange," said Yadav.

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Reuters Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Gabriel Abed, Richard Jones, Tre Lovell, Neama Rahmani, David Ryder, Binance, Braden Perry, Sam Bankman, Joshua de Vos, de Vos, Fried, Yesha Yadav, That's, Forbes, he's, Lucas Kiely, Kiely —, —, Yadav, it's Organizations: Staff, Reuters, CNBC, U.S, U.S . Department of Justice, District, Toyota, Bloomberg, Getty, Bank, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Vanderbilt University, Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC Locations: Paris, France, Seattle, Zhao, Binance, Los Angeles, Seattle , Washington, Dubai, U.S, bitcoin, Iran

☆ Prosecutors want Binance's CZ kept on tighter leash ahead of sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. prosecutors Friday asked a judge to tighten the bond conditions of billionaire Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao as he awaits his April sentencing for breaking a federal anti-money laundering law, court filings show. Under the proposed bond, Zhao would be required to provide prosecutors and pretrial services with at least three days' notice before any travel within the country, to give them time to raise any potential objections. An attorney for Zhao did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. Pretrial Services also recommended "a location-monitoring condition," the filing said in a footnote. The filing does not explicitly ask the judge to impose that condition.

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Binance, Changpeng, Zhao, Richard Jones Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, U.S, Zhao, Canadian, United, United Arab Emirates, Court Locations: Porte, Paris, United States, United Arab, Seattle, Washington

Details of the medical procedure were also blacked out in the letter, which noted that federal prosecutors had not consented to Zhao's request. Jones held a closed hearing on the request on Dec. 29, and denied Zhao's bid to travel, court records show. Jones earlier in December rejected another request to allow Zhao to travel to the UAE. The judge said Zhao's "enormous wealth" made him a significant flight risk. His family resides in the UAE and it appears that he has favored status in the UAE," Jones wrote in a six-page order on Dec. 7.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Changpeng, Richard Jones, Zhao, Judge Jones, Jones, Zhao's Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, United Arab Emirates, Jan Locations: Porte, Paris, France, U.S, Seattle, Abu Dhabi, UAE, United States

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - Former Binance chief Changpeng Zhao must stay in the United States for the time being, a federal judge said on Monday, after the founder of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle said he would review whether Zhao should have to stay in the United States after the U.S. government appealed a decision by another judge allowing Zhao to return to the UAE before his Feb. 23 sentencing hearing. Last week, Zhao conceded: "I made mistakes, and I must take responsibility." The government had said it may be unable to secure Zhao's return to the United States given it has no extradition treaty with the UAE. Lawyers for Zhao disputed that he was a potential flight risk, noting that he paid a "substantial" bail package and voluntarily came to the United States to accept responsibility for his actions.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Benoit Tessier, Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Richard Jones, Chris Prentice, Hannah Lang, Michelle Price, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, United Arab, District, U.S, UAE, Binance Holdings, Justice, Lawyers, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, United States, Seattle, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Binance, New York, Washington

☆ Binance founder Changpeng Zhao ordered by judge to stay in U.S. ahead of prison sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty last week to criminal charges tied to his cryptocurrency exchange, has to remain in the U.S. at least temporarily, according to a ruling Monday by a federal judge. Zhao was released on a $175 million bond last week and has a sentencing hearing scheduled for Feb. 23. Prosecutors said they'd already made an "exceptional recommendation" in suggesting that Zhao be allowed to remain free until his sentencing. Zhao agreed to step down as CEO of Binance as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with the Department of Justice. WATCH: Binance settlement a 'win' for the exchange and the industry

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Richard Jones, Prosecutors, they'd, Binance Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, Prosecutors, United Arab Emirates, U.S, Binance, Department of Justice, Justice Department Locations: Porte, Paris, U.S, Seattle, UAE, United States

☆ Ex-Binance CEO Zhao urges judge to allow him to leave the U.S. before sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Lawyers for former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao are urging a U.S. judge to reject the Justice Department's request to bar him from returning to his home in the United Arab Emirates until he is sentenced for violating anti-money laundering requirements. Zhao's lawyers in a Thursday filing asked U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle not to reverse bail conditions set by a magistrate judge on Tuesday that would allow him to leave the U.S. while awaiting sentencing. The Justice Department has asked Jones by Monday to reverse a decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida to allow Zhao to return home to the UAE ahead of his Feb. 23 sentencing after he agreed to release him on a $175 million bail bond. Allowing Zhao to return to the UAE would allow him to take care of his partner and three children and prepare them for his sentencing, defense lawyers argued. "In the vast majority of cases, a multi-billionaire defendant who has pleaded guilty, faces possible prison time, and lives in a country that does not extradite its citizens to the United States would be detained," Justice Department lawyers said.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Changpeng Zhao, Richard Jones, Zhao, Jones, Brian Tsuchida Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, United Arab Emirates, U.S, District, Islamic, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Justice Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Seattle, U.S, UAE, Canada, Binance, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Iraq, Syria, United States

Zhao's lawyers in a Thursday filing asked U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle not to reverse bail conditions set by a magistrate judge on Tuesday that would allow him to leave the U.S. while awaiting sentencing. Zhao, a citizen of the UAE and Canada, stepped down as CEO of Binance on Tuesday after pleading guilty to willfully causing the global cryptocurrency exchange to fail to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program. Allowing Zhao to return to the UAE would allow him to take care of his partner and three children and prepare them for his sentencing, defense lawyers argued. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Benoit Tessier, Changpeng Zhao, Richard Jones, Zhao, Jones, Brian Tsuchida, Nate Raymond, Alexia Garamfalvi, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, United Arab Emirates, U.S, District, Islamic, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Justice, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Seattle, U.S, UAE, Canada, Binance, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Iraq, Syria, Boston

Zhao's lawyers in a Thursday filing asked U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle not to reverse bail conditions set by a magistrate judge on Tuesday that would allow him to leave the U.S. while awaiting sentencing. Zhao, a citizen of the UAE and Canada, stepped down as CEO of Binance on Tuesday after pleading guilty to willfully causing the global cryptocurrency exchange to fail to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program. Allowing Zhao to return to the UAE would allow him to take care of his partner and three children and prepare them for his sentencing, defense lawyers argued. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Amazon.com faces an array of US consumer, state antitrust lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Mike Scarcella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In the California case, Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court in March ruled against Amazon's bid to dismiss the lawsuit. CONSUMERS' PRICE INFLATION CLAIMSAmazon faces a pair of consumer lawsuits in Seattle federal court. The consumer plaintiffs, Chun wrote, "allege the type of conduct that antitrust law is intended to prevent." E-BOOKSIn Manhattan federal court, a prospective class action from consumers accuses Amazon of artificially inflating the price of retail trade e-books on the site. U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods has not yet ruled on objections from Amazon and the plaintiffs to Figueredo's report and recommendation.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Rob Bonta, Ethan Schulman, Amazon's, Schulman, Richard Jones, Jones, John Chun, —, Chun, Ricardo Martinez, Valerie Figueredo, Gregory Woods, Mike Scarcella, Chris Sanders, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Amazon.com, Big Tech, FTC, GENERAL, District of Columbia, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, San Francisco Superior Court, District, U.S, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, GENERAL California, District, Washington ,, California, Columbia, San Francisco, Seattle, U.S, Maryland, Manhattan, Washington

[1/2] The logo of Amazon is seen at the company logistics center in Lauwin-Planque, northern France, January 5, 2023. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle on Friday came in a prospective antitrust class action that has estimated damages of between $55 billion to $172 billion. Amazon has denied the plaintiffs' claims, arguing that its "Fair Pricing Policy" has procompetitive benefits and that U.S. antitrust law encourages such a policy. Attorneys general in California and Washington, D.C., also have sued Amazon over pricing policies. The case is Frame-Wilson et al v. Amazon.com Inc, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No.

☆ FASB Again Aims for More Disclosure on Taxes From U.S. Companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

The Financial Accounting Standards Board on Wednesday said it wants companies to provide more information on their income taxes, the group’s latest attempt to give the public more detail on the companies they invest in. At least once a year, public companies have to disclose the amount of cash taxes they pay. Companies must also disclose their effective tax rate, or the ratio between their tax expense and their pretax income. The first proposal came in 2016 and would have required companies to distinguish their U.S. from their foreign income taxes, among other changes. This time, it sought a breakout of the amount of federal, state and foreign taxes public companies paid, as well as disclosure on a quarterly basis.

☆ SEC Advisory Panel Recommends Oversight of U.S. Accounting Rule Maker
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

The SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, a group of investors, academics and financial advisers, recommended setting up another advisory committee to ensure the Financial Accounting Standards Board remains politically independent. PREVIEWRoughly 260 accounting and tax experts in November 2021 asked federal lawmakers to not tie the then-proposed tax to income metrics reported to investors. The new advisory group would consider ways to strengthen financial reporting in areas such as intangible assets, for example internally developed software, the Investor Advisory Committee said. SEC staff attend the FASB’s advisory committee meetings as formal observers and provide insight to help with rule making but lack the voting power of full board members. The FASB should then factor those costs into the cost-benefit analysis it conducts when drawing up new accounting rules, the SEC Investor Advisory Committee said.

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