Reading note. Entries below distinguish official documents, a party's own statements, and media reports or allegations. An allegation is not a finding.
Criminal case
The criminal case is covered in United States v. Zhao: guilty plea (2023-11-21), four-month sentence (2024-04-30), release (2024-09-27) and pardon (Pardon of Changpeng Zhao, October 2025). [1][2][3][4]
Civil and regulatory matters
| Matter | Status | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| CFTC civil action (March 2023) | Binance reached separate resolutions with the CFTC, FinCEN and OFAC, which the Department of Justice described as coordinated; how Zhao's own CFTC matter was closed is not yet verified [verification needed] | [1][5] |
| SEC civil action (June 2023) | Dismissed by the SEC in May 2025; see SEC v. Binance | [6][7] |
| FTX bankruptcy estate suit against Binance and Zhao, seeking about US$1.8 billion (November 2024) | Progress not verified [verification needed] | [5] |
| Collective action in the High Court of England and Wales (from June 2026) | Zhao is named as a defendant; reportedly nearly 2,700 claimants and more than £250 million claimed; allegations only, grounds not verified [verification needed] | [5][8] |
| Suits by victims of Hamas attacks (from November 2025) | Defendants include Binance and, according to Wikipedia, Zhao; allegations only, progress not verified [verification needed] | [8] |
Company-level reports (not about Zhao personally)
According to Wikipedia, citing a March 2026 Wall Street Journal report, the Department of Justice investigated Binance over Iran sanctions. The report is paywalled and not verified here. [8] [verification needed]