周五,趙長鵬將以自由身份走上加利福尼亞州長灘的街頭。這是他幾個月以來首次恢復(fù)自由。自四月份以來,趙長鵬一直被聯(lián)邦拘留。他更為人所知的名字是“CZ”。此前他同意從迪拜返回美國服刑五個月,罪名是未能在他創(chuàng)立的大型加密貨幣交易平臺幣安(Binance)實施適當(dāng)?shù)姆聪村X控制。在此期間,趙長鵬在加利福尼亞沙漠的一所最低安全級別監(jiān)獄服刑了約兩個月,隨后被轉(zhuǎn)移至位于長灘的一個中途之家。根據(jù)一名監(jiān)獄官員的說法,在那里,他可以在監(jiān)督下外出,甚至可以去看電影。
現(xiàn)在,趙長鵬將擁有更多選擇,他帶著約600億美元的個人財富(全球第25大富豪)重返社會,而他的法律麻煩也已成為過去。趙長鵬并未立即回應(yīng)關(guān)于其未來計劃的直接詢問,而他的律師告訴《財富》雜志,他不希望在出獄當(dāng)天接受采訪。盡管如此,仍可以根據(jù)已知信息推測他的下一步行動。
周五,他將在正式釋放日期前兩天獲釋(如果釋放日恰逢周末,囚犯會提前獲釋)。他很可能會乘坐專車前往長灘或洛杉磯的私人飛機場。他的第一站很可能是迪拜或巴黎,他的孩子與孩子們的母親、趙長鵬的前伴侶何一住在那里,何一也是幣安的一位高管。
在2023年接受《財富》采訪時,趙長鵬回憶起他那位才華橫溢但冷漠的已故父親,并表達了對自己可能遺傳了某些忽視家人的性格缺陷的擔(dān)憂。或許在出獄后,趙長鵬會決定更多地陪伴家人,彌補失去的時光,包括他的妹妹、兒子和母親。這些人都在今年春天的量刑聽證會上為他的品格作證,并始終支持他。
家人的支持幫助說服量刑法官接受了五個月的相對寬大的刑期。法官還提到了趙長鵬“對全球慈善事業(yè)的卓越承諾和奉獻”。
目前,趙長鵬將多大程度上把這些慈善承諾轉(zhuǎn)化為實際行動還有待觀察。在入獄前,他發(fā)起了一個名為“Giggle Academy”的項目,承諾為全球兒童提供免費、有趣且易于獲取的學(xué)習(xí)工具。
“在我人生的下一篇章中,我想為他人,尤其是年輕人,提供機會。我正在建立一個平臺,旨在為全世界貧困兒童提供高質(zhì)量的免費教育,”趙長鵬在量刑聽證會上說道。
目前,Giggle Academy似乎只是一個網(wǎng)站。網(wǎng)站上有幾條已發(fā)布數(shù)月的招聘信息,但沒有提及項目時間表和資金來源及規(guī)模。不過,鑒于趙長鵬最近的處境,這也許并不令人意外,未來幾個月可能會有更多有關(guān)Giggle Academy的詳細信息公布。
除了家庭和慈善事業(yè)之外,現(xiàn)已重獲自由的趙長鵬可能還會將注意力轉(zhuǎn)向第三個領(lǐng)域:加密貨幣行業(yè),這個行業(yè)為他帶來了巨額財富,并讓他在近十年的時間里占據(jù)主導(dǎo)地位。
然而,在加密貨幣方面,趙長鵬面臨一個重大障礙:根據(jù)刑事和解協(xié)議的條款,他必須辭去幣安CEO一職,并不得參與公司的“日常運營”。與此同時,和解協(xié)議還要求幣安接受由美國政府指定的兩名外部監(jiān)督員,以確保合規(guī)。
盡管存在這些明顯的限制,但現(xiàn)實情況是,幣安已經(jīng)停止在美國運營,重心轉(zhuǎn)向亞洲和離岸市場。即便趙長鵬不再擔(dān)任CEO,他仍是公司最大股東,這也賦予了他對公司未來方向相當(dāng)大的影響力。
在回應(yīng)關(guān)于趙長鵬獲釋的評論請求時,幣安的一位發(fā)言人表示:“我們很高興CZ能夠與家人團聚。盡管他不再負責(zé)管理或運營幣安,但我們非常期待看到他接下來的行動。自去年以來,幣安在現(xiàn)有團隊的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)下繼續(xù)蓬勃發(fā)展,全球用戶已超過2.29億。”
最后值得一提的是,趙長鵬今年才47歲,這是許多高管職業(yè)生涯的黃金時期,許多人正是在這個年齡首次擔(dān)任CEO。這一切表明,趙長鵬很可能會迎來第二次輝煌,而他的影響力也將在加密貨幣和商業(yè)領(lǐng)域持續(xù)存在很多年。(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
周五,趙長鵬將以自由身份走上加利福尼亞州長灘的街頭。這是他幾個月以來首次恢復(fù)自由。自四月份以來,趙長鵬一直被聯(lián)邦拘留。他更為人所知的名字是“CZ”。此前他同意從迪拜返回美國服刑五個月,罪名是未能在他創(chuàng)立的大型加密貨幣交易平臺幣安(Binance)實施適當(dāng)?shù)姆聪村X控制。在此期間,趙長鵬在加利福尼亞沙漠的一所最低安全級別監(jiān)獄服刑了約兩個月,隨后被轉(zhuǎn)移至位于長灘的一個中途之家。根據(jù)一名監(jiān)獄官員的說法,在那里,他可以在監(jiān)督下外出,甚至可以去看電影。
現(xiàn)在,趙長鵬將擁有更多選擇,他帶著約600億美元的個人財富(全球第25大富豪)重返社會,而他的法律麻煩也已成為過去。趙長鵬并未立即回應(yīng)關(guān)于其未來計劃的直接詢問,而他的律師告訴《財富》雜志,他不希望在出獄當(dāng)天接受采訪。盡管如此,仍可以根據(jù)已知信息推測他的下一步行動。
周五,他將在正式釋放日期前兩天獲釋(如果釋放日恰逢周末,囚犯會提前獲釋)。他很可能會乘坐專車前往長灘或洛杉磯的私人飛機場。他的第一站很可能是迪拜或巴黎,他的孩子與孩子們的母親、趙長鵬的前伴侶何一住在那里,何一也是幣安的一位高管。
在2023年接受《財富》采訪時,趙長鵬回憶起他那位才華橫溢但冷漠的已故父親,并表達了對自己可能遺傳了某些忽視家人的性格缺陷的擔(dān)憂。或許在出獄后,趙長鵬會決定更多地陪伴家人,彌補失去的時光,包括他的妹妹、兒子和母親。這些人都在今年春天的量刑聽證會上為他的品格作證,并始終支持他。
家人的支持幫助說服量刑法官接受了五個月的相對寬大的刑期。法官還提到了趙長鵬“對全球慈善事業(yè)的卓越承諾和奉獻”。
目前,趙長鵬將多大程度上把這些慈善承諾轉(zhuǎn)化為實際行動還有待觀察。在入獄前,他發(fā)起了一個名為“Giggle Academy”的項目,承諾為全球兒童提供免費、有趣且易于獲取的學(xué)習(xí)工具。
“在我人生的下一篇章中,我想為他人,尤其是年輕人,提供機會。我正在建立一個平臺,旨在為全世界貧困兒童提供高質(zhì)量的免費教育,”趙長鵬在量刑聽證會上說道。
目前,Giggle Academy似乎只是一個網(wǎng)站。網(wǎng)站上有幾條已發(fā)布數(shù)月的招聘信息,但沒有提及項目時間表和資金來源及規(guī)模。不過,鑒于趙長鵬最近的處境,這也許并不令人意外,未來幾個月可能會有更多有關(guān)Giggle Academy的詳細信息公布。
除了家庭和慈善事業(yè)之外,現(xiàn)已重獲自由的趙長鵬可能還會將注意力轉(zhuǎn)向第三個領(lǐng)域:加密貨幣行業(yè),這個行業(yè)為他帶來了巨額財富,并讓他在近十年的時間里占據(jù)主導(dǎo)地位。
然而,在加密貨幣方面,趙長鵬面臨一個重大障礙:根據(jù)刑事和解協(xié)議的條款,他必須辭去幣安CEO一職,并不得參與公司的“日常運營”。與此同時,和解協(xié)議還要求幣安接受由美國政府指定的兩名外部監(jiān)督員,以確保合規(guī)。
盡管存在這些明顯的限制,但現(xiàn)實情況是,幣安已經(jīng)停止在美國運營,重心轉(zhuǎn)向亞洲和離岸市場。即便趙長鵬不再擔(dān)任CEO,他仍是公司最大股東,這也賦予了他對公司未來方向相當(dāng)大的影響力。
在回應(yīng)關(guān)于趙長鵬獲釋的評論請求時,幣安的一位發(fā)言人表示:“我們很高興CZ能夠與家人團聚。盡管他不再負責(zé)管理或運營幣安,但我們非常期待看到他接下來的行動。自去年以來,幣安在現(xiàn)有團隊的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)下繼續(xù)蓬勃發(fā)展,全球用戶已超過2.29億。”
最后值得一提的是,趙長鵬今年才47歲,這是許多高管職業(yè)生涯的黃金時期,許多人正是在這個年齡首次擔(dān)任CEO。這一切表明,趙長鵬很可能會迎來第二次輝煌,而他的影響力也將在加密貨幣和商業(yè)領(lǐng)域持續(xù)存在很多年。(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
On Friday, Changpeng Zhao will step out onto the streets of Long Beach, California as a free man for the first time in months. Since April, Zhao—who everyone knows as “CZ”—has been in federal custody after agreeing to return to the U.S. from Dubai in order to serve a five month sentence for failing to implement proper anti-money laundering controls at Binance, the giant crypto exchange he founded. During this time Zhao spent around two months at a minimum security prison in the California desert before being transferred to half-way house in Long Beach where, according to a prison official, he would have been able to make supervised excursions and even go to movies.
Now, Zhao will have many more options as he returns to society with a personal fortune of approximately $60 billion—the 25th biggest in the world—and his legal troubles behind him. Zhao did not immediately respond to a direct message inquiry about his plans, and his lawyer told Fortune that he did not wish to be interviewed on the day of his release. Nonetheless, it’s possible to make some informed guesses about his next moves.
On Friday, when he is freed two days ahead of his official release date (if a release date falls on a weekend, inmates leave custody early), he will likely get in a chauffeured car and be taken to a private jet in Long Beach or Los Angeles. His first stop is likely to be Dubai or Paris where his children live with their mother, He Ye, Zhao’s one-time romantic partner who is also a top executive at Binance.
In a 2023 interview with Fortune, Zhao reflected on his brilliant but aloof late father, and expressed concern he had inherited some of his neglectful traits. It is possible Zhao will decide post-prison to make up for lost time by spending more time with his family, including his sister, his son and his mother—all of whom testified to his character and stood by his side at his sentencing this spring.
Those endorsements from his family helped persuade the sentencing judge to accept what some view as a lenient five month sentence. So too did what the judge described as Zhao’s “extraordinary commitments and dedication to philanthropic activity across the planet.”
For now, it remains to be seen to what degree Zhao will turn those philanthropic commitments into concrete activities. Prior to his incarceration, he launched a project called Giggle Academy that pledges to create free, fun and easily accessible learning tools for children across the world.
“For the next chapter of my life, I want to provide opportunities for others, namely our youth. I’m building a platform to provide high-quality education for underprivileged kids, all around the world, for free,” Zhao said during his sentencing hearing.
For now, Giggle Academy appears to be little more than a website. The site includes several job listings that have been posted for months, but no information related to project timelines or the source and scope of its funding. This is perhaps unsurprising, though, given Zhao’s recent situation and it is possible more details about Giggle Academy will emerge in coming months.
In addition to his family and philanthropy, the now-free Zhao may turn his attention to a third pursuit: The cryptocurrency industry that made him immensely wealth and which he dominated for the better part of a decade.
On the crypto front, though, Zhao faces a major wrinkle: Under the terms of his criminal settlement, he was required to quit his post as CEO of Binance and stay away from any “day to day” activities involving the company. Meanwhile, the settlement also calls for Binance to accept two external monitors imposed by the U.S. government to ensure compliance.
Despite these apparent constraints, there is the reality that Binance no longer operates in the U.S. as it focuses on Asia and off-shore markets. And even if Zhao is no longer CEO, he remains the company’s largest shareholder, which should give him considerable influence on its future direction.
In response to a request for comment about Zhao’s release, a Binance spokesperson wrote: “We are delighted that CZ will be home with his family. While he is not managing or operating Binance, we are excited to see what he does next. Since last year, Binance has continued to thrive under the leadership of our current team, surpassing 229 million users globally.”
Finally, it’s worth noting that Zhao is only 47 years old—an age that is the prime of many executives’ careers, and one where many are just taking their first role as CEO. All of this suggests that Zhao is very much ready for a second act, and that his influence will be felt in crypto and business for years to come.