Crypto Chaos: Senator Warren Laughs Off Binance Founder’s Defamation Threat

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Senator Warren’s lawyer rejects Binance founder’s defamation threat, insists her post on his money laundering guilty plea is spot-on. And here we thought lawyers were supposed to be boring, right?

A lawyer for US Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ben Stafford, has fired back with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Zhao Changpeng (CZ), the founder of Binance, had dared to claim that Warren’s post about his money laundering conviction was defamatory. But Stafford wasn’t having any of it. He called the defamation claim “baseless” and essentially told Zhao to take a seat. Who knew lawyers had such a flair for drama? 🎭

Legal Dispute Erupts Over Zhao’s “Guilty” Plea: A Matter of Words

Things started heating up when Zhao’s lawyer, Teresa Goody Guillen, threatened to sue. In what can only be described as a classic cease-and-desist move, she demanded Warren delete a post from October 23. This post had mentioned the pardon of Zhao by former President Trump, calling it corrupt. Apparently, Goody Guillen felt that Warren’s tweet had dragged Zhao’s reputation through the mud. 😳

Related Reading: Crypto Drama Unfolds: CZ’s Legal Threats to Warren Spark Firestorm | Live Bitcoin News

Now, Zhao had pleaded guilty in the US District Court for Western Washington, admitting he had failed spectacularly at running an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program. For the record, this is a felony under the Bank Secrecy Act. So, you know, pretty serious stuff. But hey, it’s just a small little legal detail that might’ve slipped Zhao’s mind. 🙄

Stafford wasn’t having any of this, though. His letter-obtained by Punchbowl News-shot down the defamation threat like a seasoned marksman. He doubled down on Warren’s tweet, saying it was factually accurate and, as far as the law was concerned, totally covered. Looks like the court records are on Team Warren here.

Meanwhile, Zhao’s team claimed that Warren had “misrepresented” his guilty plea, making it sound like he was directly involved in money laundering. Zhao’s lawyers made it clear that, in their view, this misstep was enough to “destroy” his public image. 😬 Because clearly, it’s the lawyer’s job to protect the integrity of a person who was convicted of failing to stop money laundering in the first place. Classic move.

Senator’s Legal Team Not Afraid of Crypto’s Legal Games

But Stafford wasn’t backing down. He pointed out that Warren’s statement echoed the language used by federal prosecutors. So, no, she wasn’t wrong. In fact, her words were backed up by court records. Yet Zhao’s team continued their narrative control campaign. Seems like Zhao wanted to intimidate a sitting senator with some well-timed legal threats. A bold strategy, one could say.

Stafford, though, wasn’t impressed. He claimed that Zhao’s legal threats were nothing more than a cheap attempt to scare Warren into silence. You know, because a little legal bullying always helps the cause, right? Stafford charged Zhao with trying to twist the narrative of his criminal case, denying him the chance to fully accept his legal responsibility. Quite the power play! 💼

At the end of the day, Stafford made it crystal clear: Senator Warren’s office wasn’t about to be intimidated. They weren’t going to cower in the face of legal threats from the mighty crypto industry. Oh, and by the way, they were ready to fight for their right to make factual statements about public figures who happen to be involved in felonies. Go team! 💪

This legal squabble has also shone a light on the broader political divide, of course. It’s the classic struggle between those who run the decentralized finance world and those who, well, make the laws. Tension is running high, and we’re all just here for the popcorn 🍿. It’s an ongoing tug-of-war over language, criminal accountability, and the very nature of public perception when it comes to crypto crimes. It’s not about what you did-it’s about how you say it. Very Dostoevskian, don’t you think? 😉

In the end, Stafford’s firm rejection of the defamation threat only reinforced Warren’s stance. Her message was clear: she wasn’t backing down, and the law was on her side. It’s the sort of strict liability that’s usually reserved for those dealing with massive, complex crypto exchanges. So buckle up, folks, this saga is far from over.

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2025-11-03 11:15