Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao was sentenced Tuesday to four months in prison for his role in failing to establish an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program at the cryptocurrency exchange.

Judge Richard Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington delivered the sentence.

The prosecution had initially sought a three-year prison term for Zhao, citing serious lapses in regulatory compliance during his tenure at Binance.

Zhao’s defense argued for probation, emphasizing his lack of direct knowledge of the illicit activities allegedly conducted through the platform.

In the courtroom, Judge Jones acknowledged the absence of evidence directly linking Zhao to…

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