Judge Fines Binance $4.3 Billion in US Plea Deal

By Joshua Ramos – February 23, 2024

Following the guilty plea issues in November of 2023, a US Judge approved Binance’s plea deal to see the exchange pay a $4.3 billion fine. Indeed, the approval will now see the exchange pay one of the largest penalties in US history following a years-long investigation into the exchange.

The massive plea deal made headlines last year, with the approval seeing Binance admit to engagement in money laundering and sanction violation charges. Additionally, the US Department of Justice Press Release announced that the firm’s former CEO, Changpeng Zhao, pleaded guilty to Federal charges that would ultimately lead to his resignation.

Binance $4.3 Billion Plea Deal Gets Judge Approval

The Binance brand has long been a pillar of strength within the digital asset sector. However, that trust and standing took a massive hit at the tail end of 2023. The exchange would face a plethora of federal charges. Subsequently, the exchange would face a $4.3 billion resolution and would see their longstanding head abandon his position.

Now, that resolution has been confirmed in the situation’s latest development. Specifically, a US judge has approved Binance’s plea deal that will result in a $4.3 billion fine from the exchange. Indeed, the amount is set to be one of the largest criminal penalties issued in American history.

“This really is a case where the ethics of the company were compromised by greed,” US District Judge Richard Jones said in the hearing according to Bloomberg. The approval was issued on Friday in the proceedings that took place in Seattle.

Additionally, the approval sees Binance admitted to its role in the Federal violations. Conversely, the resolution was part of a coordinated effort from several US government agencies. Among those were the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).