Changpeng Zhao’s legal team suggests home detention, says he is not a flight risk

Changpeng Zhao’s defense team advocates for combined home detention and community confinement, emphasizing his willingness to take responsibility for Binance’s criminal charges. 

Following the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) criminal charges of Binance, and Changpeng Zhao’s guilty plea, Zhao’s defense team opposed the government’s motion for him to remain in the U.S. until sentencing, arguing that he poses no flight risk. 

According to a court filing yesterday, Zhao’s legal team cited his voluntary return to the U.S., lack of criminal history and status as a public figure. The defense argued that Zhao has taken full responsibility, as his company has also pleaded guilty to related offenses. 

The former Binance CEO’s representatives also highlighted his significant financial commitments to the U.S., including a $175 million personal recognizance bond and $15 million already wired to the country. These actions, they argue, demonstrates his intent to resolve the case and not evade justice.

The legal team also refuted the government’s claim that his wealth and foreign residence increased his flight risk, emphasizing that his actions demonstrate a commitment to legal accountability. His lawyers proposed that Zhao be allowed to return to his family in the UAE under stringent bail conditions, such as “home detention or community confinement” while awaiting sentencing.