- Binance founder CZ denied any link to “Sky,” an alleged associate at a Trump dinner.
- He called a New York Times inquiry “FUD,” stating he never discussed Trump with Sky.
- The incident comes as Binance’s compliance chief, Tigran Gambaryan, also departs.
Binance founder and former chief executive Changpeng Zhao (CZ) pushed back against what he called “FUD in the making,” responding to a New York Times inquiry tying him to a Donald Trump-themed meme coin dinner via an alleged associate, Tianying He, also known as “Sky.”
CZ’s Blunt Dismissal of Any and All Speculation
The inquiry, shared by CZ in full, asked if Sky—who had posted a picture with CZ and referred to him as a “cousin”—had any familial or business connection with him or Binance. CZ, with characteristic bluntness and a dash of sarcasm, dismissed the speculation entirely.
“I didn’t know who Sky was when I saw his photo with a BNB Chain logo. I followed him after that post,” he clarified, emphasizing that he had never discussed Donald Trump or US political matters with Sky, nor had he heard of the project LuckyFuture until after the fact.
“How desperate do you have to be to make up the story above? Or are you being paid to smear?” CZ wrote, criticizing what he described as an evidence-light, implication-heavy approach by the New York Times.
Related: Corporate Bitcoin: CZ Urges Risk Focus as GameStop, Others Add to Holdings
Binance’s Compliance Chief Announces Exit After Tumultuous Tenure
This media flap arrives as Binance deals with another major internal shift: the departure of Tigran Gambaryan, the former US federal agent who helped overhaul Binance’s compliance infrastructure.
Gambaryan joined the exchange in 2021, at a time when Binance lacked even a basic investigations team. Under his guidance, the company developed a global 100-person compliance unit, hiring seasoned professionals from law enforcement and legal backgrounds.
Related: Binance Flags Four Risky Altcoins, Simultaneously Launches Liquidity Boost Program
But Gambaryan’s journey at Binance was marred by geopolitical tensions. In 2024, he was detained by Nigerian authorities in connection with the company’s local operations, enduring eight months of imprisonment. His release came only after intense bipartisan US diplomatic pressure.
Although cleared of personal wrongdoing, the case left a scar on Binance’s global image. In a heartfelt farewell message, Gambaryan emphasized the importance of building bridges between the tech and enforcement communities.
Binance now finds itself balancing a media controversy involving its founder and a high-profile executive departure.
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