Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ and the CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, finds himself entangled in a contentious legal battle as he faces allegations of orchestrating a vendetta against rival exchange FTX. These accusations come to light in a class action lawsuit filed recently, coinciding with the commencement of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by Bankman-Fried and joined by other retail customers who incurred losses on the FTX platform, alleges that CZ deliberately disseminated false and misleading information about FTX. The aim, as stated in the lawsuit, was to eliminate competition and gain a stranglehold on the cryptocurrency platform market. These alleged actions are said to have played a pivotal role in the November 2022 collapse of FTX entities.
California resident Nir Lahav is among the plaintiffs, and together, they are seeking damages exceeding $5 million.
According to the lawsuit, CZ is accused of strategically releasing “false and misleading statements” about FTX. This purported campaign, the suit contends, began when CZ seized an opportunity to harm FTX entities, causing a significant decline in their stock prices.
As part of Binance’s exit from FTX equity last year, Binance received roughly $2.1 billion USD equivalent in cash (BUSD and FTT). Due to recent revelations that have came to light, we have decided to liquidate any remaining FTT on our books. 1/4 — CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) November 6, 2022
The sequence of events leading to the lawsuit commenced on November 6, 2023, when CZ announced on the social media platform X that Binance would liquidate its remaining FTX Token (FTT) holdings. This announcement triggered a sharp drop in FTX token prices and prompted a mass withdrawal of funds by FTX users, eventually resulting in a liquidity crisis for the exchange, leading to a freeze on withdrawals.
On November 8, 2023, CZ publicly committed to a non-binding letter of intent for Binance to acquire FTX, ostensibly to alleviate the liquidity crisis. However, he later withdrew from the agreement, citing “corporate due diligence” and concerns related to “mishandled customer funds” and “alleged US agency investigations.” On November 11, 2023, just three days later, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The lawsuit contends that CZ’s actions expedited the unprecedented collapse of FTX entities, causing substantial losses to investors like Lahav and other retail participants. It further highlights CZ’s public statements during this period, including a “crying emoji captioned by ‘Sad day. Tried but…'” which the suit characterizes as “crocodile tears.”
The lawsuit also specifies certain claims, including allegations that Binance had already sold $530 million worth of FTT assets a day before publicly announcing its intention to liquidate them. Additionally, it asserts that Binance was aware of the misleading nature of the information it disseminated and questions CZ’s true intention to acquire FTX entities.
This lawsuit is the latest addition to a growing list of legal challenges confronting Binance and its CEO. Regulatory bodies across the globe have been increasingly scrutinizing the cryptocurrency exchange, once the largest by trading volume, and its high-profile leader, CZ.
As this legal battle unfolds, it underscores the critical need for transparency, accountability, and adherence to regulations within the cryptocurrency industry.
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