The French government has opened judicial proceedings against Binance due to suspected money laundering and tax deception activities.
Authorities are probing allegations that criminals used Binance to carry out drug smuggling operations along with various financial offenses.
The ongoing judicial investigation indicates possible criminal indictments against the world’s biggest cryptocurrency trading platform.
Binance Faces Scrutiny for Pre-Registration Violations
Despite receiving regulatory approval in France in May 2022, authorities now charge Binance with failing to comply with its Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) responsibilities.
AMF regulators contend Binance breached French regulations before obtaining registration, although they monitored its activities.
Authorities allege that the company used influencer advertisements without authorization to deceive investors regarding its legal status.
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The reported breaches, which lasted until Binance sought proper registration, commenced in 2019 and extended beyond French borders into other parts of the European Union.
A substantial period existed when regulators confirmed Binance operated without AMF registration or licensing.
According to investigation reports, user reports of lost money through misleading advertisements started the investigation, resulting in increased regulatory monitoring of the exchange.
Legal Troubles Mount for The Crypto Giant
Binance faces an investigation from French authorities as part of its worldwide legal issues, which mirror its defeat in the $4 billion U.S. Department of Justice settlement in 2023.
Changpeng Zhao (CZ) quit his post because of that particular case. French regulatory bodies have embraced a tough approach toward Binance, making it a broader problem for the cryptocurrency firm.
Another bad news story emerged when Binance moved $20 million worth of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana funds toward Wintermute this morning.
Analysts accuse Wintermute of controlling market flows through staged liquidity that targets retail investors.
The crypto platform is also criticized because it supports listings for trivial market-cap meme coins that numerous professionals believe create a shaky market environment.
The U.S. Supreme Court has given the green light for a class-action lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
The prosecution alleges that Binance transacted investors with unregistered tokens, which escalated its existing legal battles.
Centralized crypto exchanges are now facing increasing worldwide regulatory oversight, as demonstrated by growing case numbers.
Regulatory Crackdowns Intensify Crypto Exchanges Globally
Binance faces another legal problem in the UK, which interlocks with a lawsuit brought forth by former top employee Amrita Srivastava.
Srivastava believes that the firm terminated her job wrongfully when she disclosed her colleague’s supposed attempt to bribe a customer.
A November filing reveals exchange governance problems, adding to the Company’s existing legal challenges.
French investigators are investigating Binance to determine whether the exchange met official anti-money laundering requirements.
Legal authorities claim Binance helped conduct financial operations that supported illegal activities, including drug running and tax fraud.
The investigation is putting Binance’s compliance system robustness under scrutiny.
Regulators are preparing for harsh crackdowns, so the legal situation for crypto exchanges keeps becoming more challenging due to non-compliance issues.
The exchange company KuCoin disclosed that it had operated without required licenses for money transmission activities throughout the United States.
Chun Gan and Ke Tang avoided incarceration by consenting to pay almost $300 million in fines.
The French investigative team has not yet shared additional information, although their ongoing probe has major consequences.
Due to new regulatory scrutiny, Binance’s operational control over major cryptocurrency markets no longer seems assured.
Multiple countries present legal problems that result in an unclear future for the company.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2025/01/29/binance-under-fire-french-probe-targets-money-laundering-claims/