Both Binance founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao and Justin Sun, the founder of the Tron Blockchain, have individually debunked the ongoing rumors that sprang up from a Wall Street Journal post.
The media House claimed that CZ is providing evidence against Sun as part of the 2023 plea deal he struck with the US authorities.
The Contentious WSJ Publication on Binance Founder
On Friday, April 11, the Wall Street Journal published a story about Binance executives meeting with Treasury Department officials in March.
According to unnamed sources, their discussion allegedly centered on ways to loosen the US government’s oversight of the cryptocurrency exchange.
People familiar with the matter claimed that Binance also mentioned exploring a business deal with the Trump family crypto venture, World Liberty Financial.
According to these sources, company executives requested that officials from the Treasury Department in Washington remove the monitor overseeing Binance’s compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws.
If this were to happen, it would mark a first step toward reinstating the company in the US market after it was found guilty of violating the same AML laws a few years ago.
As a lobbyist, the report alleged that CZ, who served a four-month jail term, supposedly agreed to help US prosecutors investigate Justin Sun. The latter is currently facing separate SEC and DOJ scrutiny
Justin Sun and CZ Reactions to WSJ Report
In response to these rumors, CZ wrote on X, saying “multiple people have told me again WSJ is writing another baseless hit piece about me.”
He also tried to educate them on how, even if he wanted to, he could not help the government as a witness.
“They seem to have forgotten who went to prison and who didn’t. People who become gov witnesses don’t go to prison. They are protected,” he wrote on X.
Sun is also perplexed at the events, noting that he’s unaware of the recent rumors surrounding CZ.
He noted that the former Binance CEO is a mentor to him as he is a close friend.
The Tron founder thinks this may be one of their adversaries’ tactics to drive them apart, especially since CZ has played a crucial role in supporting him in his entrepreneurial journey.
Furthermore, Sun commended the integrity of the Binance founder while pointing out that the DOJ is one of the T3 Financial Crime Units (T3 FCU).
Tron co-founded this agency alongside Tether and TRM Labs, naming the DOJ as one of its closest and most trusted partners.
“To this day, his conduct and principles remain the highest standard I strive to follow as a founder,” Sun added.
Crypto Ecosystem Reactions to the Issues
The crypto community does not share Sun’s sentiments about CZ. One X user shared a phony picture of three doors and CZ with a dagger dripping blood.
On the doors were written Star Xu, OKX CEO, SBF, the founder of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX. Justin Sun was on the last door, and CZ was standing right before this door with the bloody dagger.
Another user pointed out that when Sun said CZ was his mentor, he may have implied that the Binance founder taught him to commit a crime.
For now, it is uncertain whether CZ is involved in the WSJ’s claims. However, in the coming weeks, more information may emerge.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2025/04/12/trons-justin-sun-binances-cz-debunks-doj-hoax-what-happened/