Judge Again Denies Binance Founder's Request to Leave the US

Amid the legal issues facing the former executive, a judge has once again denied Binance founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao’s request to leave the US. This latest decision comes as Zhao awaits sentencing following his guilty plea to violating the Bank Secrecy Act, as part of a $4.3 billion deal involving Binance and U.S. authorities.

In a ruling on Friday, December 29, US District Judge Richard A. Jones denied the motion from Changpeng Zhao asking for permission to travel to the United Arab Emirates, where his family resides. CNBC reported that last month Binance’s founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao has had to remain in the United States, after a judge ruled against his request.

Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has been denied his request to return to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until his sentencing date in February 2025. A federal judge in Seattle ruled against the request. A judge has refused Zhao's request to leave the US, as reported by Bloomberg. This decision is due to Zhao's impending sentencing, following his involvement in the aforementioned legal agreement with U.S. authorities.

Lawyers for former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao are urging a U.S. judge to reject the Justice Department's request to bar him from returning to his home in the UAE. Judge Jones sealed the details behind Zhao’s travel request denial, keeping the specific reasoning confidential.