Written by: MASTR
Translated by: Block unicorn
Here is all the publicly known information regarding this situation.
The latest claims originate from a post by DefiWimar on X, which cites a recent report published by the Financial Times.
According to the post, Zhao Changpeng is now accused of "aiding in the funding of Hamas," a statement that immediately raised concerns about a potential market shock.
The post includes an image of the Financial Times article and a direct link, confirming that a new civil lawsuit has been filed in a U.S. federal court.
According to the Financial Times, the plaintiffs are family members of victims from the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
They accuse Zhao Changpeng and Binance of facilitating payments that supported the attack and are seeking damages under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Importantly, this is a civil lawsuit, not a new criminal charge. The burden of proof in civil lawsuits is lower, focusing on damages, and is independent of any presidential pardon.
This distinction is crucial because Zhao Changpeng received a pardon from President Donald Trump on October 23, 2025, for his previous federal conviction for violating anti-money laundering regulations. However, the pardon only absolves him of criminal penalties and does not prevent private civil lawsuits.
The context of this case is vital.
This is not the first time Binance and Zhao Changpeng have faced accusations of facilitating the flow of funds related to sanctioned or terrorist organizations.
In November 2023, Binance and Zhao Changpeng pleaded guilty to multiple significant federal charges in the U.S.
At that time, prosecutors and regulators stated that Binance violated anti-money laundering regulations, operated without proper licenses, and processed transactions involving Iran, ISIS, Hamas, and other high-risk entities.
The total settlement amount was $4.3 billion, one of the largest fines for such violations in U.S. history.
As part of the plea agreement, Zhao Changpeng resigned as CEO and began serving a four-month federal prison sentence starting in April 2024.
In February 2024, another civil lawsuit against Binance (initially not directly targeting Zhao Changpeng personally) was filed by the family members of victims and hostages from the October 7 attack.
This lawsuit accused Binance of acting as a funding source for Hamas from 2017 to 2023 due to its failure to implement appropriate controls and allowing certain transactions that should have been flagged or blocked. This earlier lawsuit constitutes a broader pattern that has resurfaced in the new lawsuit.
However, the new lawsuit directly targets Zhao Changpeng and comes after he returned to the public eye following his pardon.
The lawsuit claims that Binance's long-standing compliance issues, combined with Zhao Changpeng's personal leadership decisions, directly contributed to the flow of funds related to Hamas.
Although this is a civil lawsuit rather than a criminal one, it still poses reputational risks and potential financial losses. The civil lawsuit requires proving that Zhao Changpeng and Binance provided "substantial assistance" or "knowingly facilitated" harmful activities, even without evidence indicating they intended to support terrorism.
As of now, neither Zhao Changpeng nor Binance has made a public response.
The case is still in its early stages and has been filed in a U.S. federal court, similar to previous litigation procedures.
It remains unclear whether this will have a substantial impact on Zhao Changpeng's legal situation, but the implications for his personal reputation, the Binance brand, and broader market trust could be significant.
Overall, this pattern has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Binance and Zhao Changpeng have documented records of violations and have acknowledged these violations in official plea agreements.
Regulators have previously stated that Binance lacked appropriate controls, allowing funds related to sanctioned organizations and terrorist groups to flow through the platform.
Whether these new allegations can be fully substantiated in court remains to be seen.
However, these recurring allegations, supported by serious plaintiffs and mainstream media, highlight that the shadow cast over Zhao Changpeng's leadership has not dissipated.
This new lawsuit is not an isolated incident.
It reflects the growing global pressure facing Binance, and even after Zhao Changpeng received a pardon, his regulatory violations continue to haunt him.
The unresolved mystery is not only whether Zhao Changpeng helped facilitate illegal fund flows but whether the entire system he built made such flows predictable, preventable, and ultimately harmful.
Currently, the crypto world is once again focused on Zhao Changpeng as he faces another high-risk chapter in this protracted saga.
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