Senator Elizabeth Warren’s legal team has refuted claims made by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao’s lawyers regarding a recent post from the senator concerning his criminal plea agreement. Senator Warren stated that Zhao pleaded guilty to a criminal money laundering charge and was subsequently sentenced to prison, while Zhao’s legal team argued the post was defamatory and misrepresented the nature of his plea. Warren’s counsel provided documentation confirming Zhao’s guilty plea, which was filed in federal court in November 2023, and emphasized that the offense was criminal, not merely regulatory. This response echoes a press release issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the day Zhao entered his plea, where the DOJ described his conduct as a violation of anti-money laundering and sanctions laws. Warren’s legal team clarified that her statement reflected publicly available information, including Zhao’s guilty plea and corresponding sentence. The post was linked to a Senate resolution condemning Zhao’s pardon which referenced his criminal plea in similar terms.