NYT: Trump-Backed WLFI Took $100M From a Money Laundering Suspect

The New York Times reported that a $100 million investment in World Liberty Financial’s WLFI governance tokens, the largest publicly disclosed purchase to date, traces back to Guren ‘Bobby’ Zhou, a Chinese businessman under active investigation by UK authorities for money laundering.

The purchase was made on June 26 through the UAE-based Aqua1 Foundation. Up to $75 million of that sum was directed toward entities controlled by the Trump family and affiliates of WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff. World Liberty Financial, launched in 2024 as a decentralized finance project connecting traditional finance with blockchain, gives the Trump family 75% of all token sale proceeds under its structure.

Zhou was arrested in the UK in March 2021 on suspicion of money laundering. A British court record filed last November accused him of participating with five others in a money laundering operation dating back to 2019. Two longtime Zhou employees were charged in September 2025, and one has since pleaded guilty; a trial for the charged defendants is set for 2028. UK officials confirmed the investigation into Zhou remains active as of late July 2026. Separately, Chinese courts have issued civil judgments against Zhou totaling roughly 19.4 million yuan (about $2.4 million) over unpaid loans. Zhou has not been formally charged with any crime.

Zhou met with Eric Trump in Dubai to discuss the investment and described his involvement as participation in ‘Trump’s family’s crypto venture.’ The source of the $100 million used by Aqua1 remains unclear, and the report noted no evidence tying the specific funds to laundering.

This isn’t the first time a foreign-linked WLFI investment has drawn scrutiny. Earlier this year, Sen. Elizabeth Warren called on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to review a separate $500 million WLFI deal over national security concerns, after a UAE-linked investment vehicle acquired a 49% stake in the project just before Trump’s inauguration. That deal also triggered a House Select Committee probe. Neither World Liberty Financial, Eric Trump nor Zach Witkoff has publicly responded to the Times’ reporting. The company has previously stated its token sales comply with disclosure requirements.

The revelation adds to questions about the due diligence behind WLFI’s fundraising, which has pulled in hundreds of millions from token sales. With Zhou’s UK investigation still active and a criminal trial for his associates not scheduled until 2028, the story is unlikely to resolve quickly.

Source: https://news.bitcoin.com/regulation-and-legal/wlfi-100-million-bobby-zhou-money-laundering/