Earlier this month, the adult entertainment group Free Speech Coalition filed an emergency appeal to overturn the online age verification law, but the Supreme Court has rejected the request. The group said the law violates free speech rights, as it forces users to upload a photo of their government ID to access porn sites.
You can read the details of Ver’s alleged misconduct here, but, with this news arriving as Binance founder Changpeng Zhao was sentenced for failing to establish adequate anti-money laundering protections, I’m reminded of this line from Ver, quoted in 2014:
“Money laundering is not a crime,” Ver says. “It’s just because certain men with guns don’t like what other people are doing with their own money, so they decide it’s okay to lock those people in a cage.
[www.justice.gov]
The rest of us are asked to remain sitting while he leaves. Unclear if there will be a press conference after.
The defense is requesting that Zhao be designated to SeaTac, at a date to be specified by the court. Zhao promises before the court that he will show up at the time, which is not yet decided.
We are taking a 10 minute break, but there are a few more matters to be ironed out.
But Jones isn’t going to take the government’s sentencing recommendation. He hasn’t yet announced the exact sentence.
He’s leaning forward, listening intently, and occasionally nodding.
However, the scale of the offense is remarkable, and Jones wants to consider deterring future crime. The letters sent to the court on Zhao’s behalf will play a significant role in the sentencing.
The court recognizes that he came voluntarily to the US, has not previously broken laws, and that he took “extraordinary steps and significant steps” in cooperation with law enforcement. But the nature of the events was “aggravating.”
After his brief remarks, he has now stepped down.
Zhao says he wants to create a platform for online education for underprivileged kids. “I find this new work extremely rewarding and meaningful.”
Addressing the courtoom before being sentenced, the Binance begins by saying, “I’m sorry,” and says he wants to take responsibility for his “mistakes.” He notes that Binance did implement a KYC/AML program, and that it is cooperating with the US government.
“In my mind, I wanted to do everything possible before stepping down as CEO.”
The judge is annoyed by this.
Judge Richard Jones is back on the bench, and we are about to hear from Changpeng Zhao himself.
Gotta say, the government has not exactly covered itself in glory here. If Zhao’s statement is convincing, he might not serve time at all.