Trump Family Crypto Corruption

[nycfan]

Aqua 1 Announces $100M Strategic World Liberty Financial Governance Token Purchase to Help Shape and Accelerate Decentralized Finance Adoption​

Aqua 1 Announces $100M Strategic World Liberty Financial Governance Token Purchase to Help Shape and Accelerate Decentralized Finance Adoption

www.reuters.com

“-- Aqua 1 Foundation, opens new tab, a pioneering Web3-native fund, announced a $100 million strategic World Liberty Financial, opens new tab (WLFI) governance token purchase to participate in governance of the decentralized finance platform inspired by President Donald J. Trump. This commitment is intended to help accelerate the creation of a blockchain-powered financial ecosystem centered on blockchain development, Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization, and stablecoin integration, aiming to set new benchmarks for global capital efficiency.…”

 

[nycfan]

Aqua 1 Announces $100M Strategic World Liberty Financial Governance Token Purchase to Help Shape and Accelerate Decentralized Finance Adoption​

Aqua 1 Announces $100M Strategic World Liberty Financial Governance Token Purchase to Help Shape and Accelerate Decentralized Finance Adoption

www.reuters.com

“-- Aqua 1 Foundation, opens new tab, a pioneering Web3-native fund, announced a $100 million strategic World Liberty Financial, opens new tab (WLFI) governance token purchase to participate in governance of the decentralized finance platform inspired by President Donald J. Trump. This commitment is intended to help accelerate the creation of a blockchain-powered financial ecosystem centered on blockchain development, Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization, and stablecoin integration, aiming to set new benchmarks for global capital efficiency.…”

“…
About Aqua 1 Foundation
Aqua1 Foundation is a Web3-native fund based in UAE with a global outlook. …”

 

[nycfan]

“…
About Aqua 1 Foundation
Aqua1 Foundation is a Web3-native fund based in UAE with a global outlook. …”

Does Trump’s Biggest Crypto Backer Really Exist?​

The strange saga of a shadowy UAE company’s $100 million investment in World Liberty Financial, the Trump-aligned crypto trader

Does Trump’s Biggest Crypto Backer Really Exist?

The strange saga of a shadowy UAE company’s $100 million investment in World Liberty Financial, the Trump-aligned crypto trader

www.thenation.com

“… Aqua 1 Foundation—whose existence was completely unknown before it published its June 26 press release—had become one of the largest benefactors for Trump’s crypto businesses, outspending Tron founder Justin Sun, who put $75 million into $WLFI and about $19 million into $TRUMP, the president’s memecoin. (The Securities and Exchange Commission announced shortly after that purchase that it was pausing its multibillion-dollar fraud case against Sun.)

In the annals of Donald Trump’s crypto corruption, the $100 million Aqua 1 Foundation deal stands out for more than just its size: There’s very little evidence that Aqua 1 Foundation exists at all.

The Aqua 1 website, which was registered on May 28, 2025, contains no information about the company beyond some fintech buzzwords and an e-mail address. The company’s original X accountwas suspended, as was an account for an apparently affiliated company called BlockRock RWA (“RWA” refers to the practice of creating blockchain tokens for “real world assets”). Searching public databases, including of businesses in the United Arab Emirates, I’ve been unable to find any corporate registration, official filings, or other documents attesting to the existence of World Liberty Financial’s newest and biggest investor.

The only person who has been publicly identified in connection with Aqua 1 Foundation is a man named Dave Lee, who claims to have cofounded the company. On Lee’s X account, which was registered in December 2023 and has a cartoon avatar, he’s only posted a handful of times, with all of the messages appearing after June 27, 2025. He lists his location as “São Paulo-NY-HK-Abu Dhabi” and responded to one questioner in Portuguese.

And that is where the trail ends.

I’ve been unable to find any other social media or professional profiles associated with a Dave Lee in his capacity as leader of what is supposed to be a very well-heeled Middle Eastern crypto fund doing business with the first family.…”

 

[nycfan]

Does Trump’s Biggest Crypto Backer Really Exist?​

The strange saga of a shadowy UAE company’s $100 million investment in World Liberty Financial, the Trump-aligned crypto trader

Does Trump’s Biggest Crypto Backer Really Exist?

The strange saga of a shadowy UAE company’s $100 million investment in World Liberty Financial, the Trump-aligned crypto trader

www.thenation.com

“… Aqua 1 Foundation—whose existence was completely unknown before it published its June 26 press release—had become one of the largest benefactors for Trump’s crypto businesses, outspending Tron founder Justin Sun, who put $75 million into $WLFI and about $19 million into $TRUMP, the president’s memecoin. (The Securities and Exchange Commission announced shortly after that purchase that it was pausing its multibillion-dollar fraud case against Sun.)

In the annals of Donald Trump’s crypto corruption, the $100 million Aqua 1 Foundation deal stands out for more than just its size: There’s very little evidence that Aqua 1 Foundation exists at all.

The Aqua 1 website, which was registered on May 28, 2025, contains no information about the company beyond some fintech buzzwords and an e-mail address. The company’s original X accountwas suspended, as was an account for an apparently affiliated company called BlockRock RWA (“RWA” refers to the practice of creating blockchain tokens for “real world assets”). Searching public databases, including of businesses in the United Arab Emirates, I’ve been unable to find any corporate registration, official filings, or other documents attesting to the existence of World Liberty Financial’s newest and biggest investor.

The only person who has been publicly identified in connection with Aqua 1 Foundation is a man named Dave Lee, who claims to have cofounded the company. On Lee’s X account, which was registered in December 2023 and has a cartoon avatar, he’s only posted a handful of times, with all of the messages appearing after June 27, 2025. He lists his location as “São Paulo-NY-HK-Abu Dhabi” and responded to one questioner in Portuguese.

And that is where the trail ends.

I’ve been unable to find any other social media or professional profiles associated with a Dave Lee in his capacity as leader of what is supposed to be a very well-heeled Middle Eastern crypto fund doing business with the first family.…”

“… While Trump has made hundreds of millions of dollars from lending his name to crypto schemes, he stands to make much more, particularly if his dollar-pegged stablecoin, known as USD1, takes off. On a recent day, USD1 was the third-most-traded stablecoin in crypto markets, with $3.37 billion in volume.

Congress is on the verge of passing legislation that will help further legalize stablecoins and give them better access to US banking and markets. In the new, lightly regulated crypto scene, Trump and his associates could make billions.

… Trump did travel to the UAE in May 2025, where he announced“over $200 billion in commercial deals between the United States and the United Arab Emirates.” Two weeks later, someone began registeringwebsites and social media accounts for Aqua 1 Foundation.

… Soon, $WLFI (which is currently non-transferable) will be tradable on public markets, and its early backers will be able to cash out …”

 

[nycfan]

“… An SEC filing made at the end of that month revealed World Liberty Financial sold $2.7 million worth of tokens to 348 accredited investors, with plans to sell no more than $30 million overall—keeping all proceeds inside the company with none flowing to Trump or other founders.

… But World Liberty Financial disclosed in an SEC filing last week (first flagged by independent journalist Wendy Siegelman) that it sold another $52.1 million of tokens to 1,966 investors—this time distributing $50.7 million to Trump and other founders, rather than retaining all proceeds within the company as in its initial sale.

If distributed according to current ownership stakes, the July payout could have netted the Trump family around $20 million—though the filings don’t break out individual distributions, and Alan Palmiter, a professor at Wake Forest University who specializes in securities regulation, told Forbes he’s not aware of any requirement that payments be proportionate to equity stake.

… An ethics white paper the Trump Organization released in January noted the Constitution does not bar a president from owning, operating or managing a private business. But to “avoid even the appearance of any conflict,” the company said it hired an outside ethics adviser and Trump would keep his assets in a trust and not manage the company directly.

The Trump Organization, however, later fired that adviser at Trump’s instruction…”

 

[heelinhell]

“… An SEC filing made at the end of that month revealed World Liberty Financial sold $2.7 million worth of tokens to 348 accredited investors, with plans to sell no more than $30 million overall—keeping all proceeds inside the company with none flowing to Trump or other founders.

… But World Liberty Financial disclosed in an SEC filing last week (first flagged by independent journalist Wendy Siegelman) that it sold another $52.1 million of tokens to 1,966 investors—this time distributing $50.7 million to Trump and other founders, rather than retaining all proceeds within the company as in its initial sale.

If distributed according to current ownership stakes, the July payout could have netted the Trump family around $20 million—though the filings don’t break out individual distributions, and Alan Palmiter, a professor at Wake Forest University who specializes in securities regulation, told Forbes he’s not aware of any requirement that payments be proportionate to equity stake.

… An ethics white paper the Trump Organization released in January noted the Constitution does not bar a president from owning, operating or managing a private business. But to “avoid even the appearance of any conflict,” the company said it hired an outside ethics adviser and Trump would keep his assets in a trust and not manage the company directly.

The Trump Organization, however, later fired that adviser at Trump’s instruction…”

but let's not forget Hunter making $500,000/yr serving on a board of directors and selling his paintings for $100,000 and his laptop !

 

[4thgenheel]

but let's not forget Hunter making $500,000/yr serving on a board of directors and selling his paintings for $100,000 and his laptop !

child's play. the "biden crime family" was always such a joke. it is always, always, always projection with these assholes. accuse the other side of that which you are guilty. right out of the goebbels playbook.

 

[nycfan]

Gift —> https://www.wsj.com/finance/currenc...a?st=TSMzy6&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

“The Trump family’s crypto venture has generated more wealth since the election—some $4.5 billion—than any other part of the president’s business empire.

A major reason for the success is a partnership with an under-the-radar trading platform quietly administered by Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, whose founder is seeking a pardon from President Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

The online trading platform, PancakeSwap, serves as an incubator of sorts, drumming up interest among traders to use coins issued by the Trump family’s main crypto company, World Liberty Financial.

The more World Liberty’s flagship coin, USD1, is used, the greater demand to increase its circulation, and the greater the profit for World Liberty and its owners, including the Trump family.

PancakeSwap is an online marketplace for cryptocurrencies. It connects users who trade USD1 with newly created currencies such as Torch of Liberty and Eagles Landing. These patriotic-sounding coins, according to their websites, were launched this year with the main purpose of helping increase the use of USD1.

Traders, mostly writing in Chinese, gather in groups on the Telegram messaging app to talk about competing for rewards paid out to top users of USD1 and advertised by PancakeSwap….”

 

[nycfan]

Gift —> https://www.wsj.com/finance/currenc...a?st=TSMzy6&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

“The Trump family’s crypto venture has generated more wealth since the election—some $4.5 billion—than any other part of the president’s business empire.

A major reason for the success is a partnership with an under-the-radar trading platform quietly administered by Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, whose founder is seeking a pardon from President Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

The online trading platform, PancakeSwap, serves as an incubator of sorts, drumming up interest among traders to use coins issued by the Trump family’s main crypto company, World Liberty Financial.

The more World Liberty’s flagship coin, USD1, is used, the greater demand to increase its circulation, and the greater the profit for World Liberty and its owners, including the Trump family.

PancakeSwap is an online marketplace for cryptocurrencies. It connects users who trade USD1 with newly created currencies such as Torch of Liberty and Eagles Landing. These patriotic-sounding coins, according to their websites, were launched this year with the main purpose of helping increase the use of USD1.

Traders, mostly writing in Chinese, gather in groups on the Telegram messaging app to talk about competing for rewards paid out to top users of USD1 and advertised by PancakeSwap….”

“…
Binance’s majority owner and founder, Changpeng Zhao, spent four months in jail in the U.S. last year after Binance agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine for becoming a global money-laundering hub for criminals, terrorists and sanctions evaders.

His company has deepened its relationship with World Liberty at the same time Zhao has ramped up efforts to secure a pardon from Trump.

Zhao—considered the richest person in the crypto industry and worth over $70 billion, according to Forbes—recently hired Ches McDowell, a lobbyist and friend of Donald Trump Jr., to push for the pardon, a person familiar with the relationship said.…”

 

[nycfan]

“…
Binance’s majority owner and founder, Changpeng Zhao, spent four months in jail in the U.S. last year after Binance agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine for becoming a global money-laundering hub for criminals, terrorists and sanctions evaders.

His company has deepened its relationship with World Liberty at the same time Zhao has ramped up efforts to secure a pardon from Trump.

Zhao—considered the richest person in the crypto industry and worth over $70 billion, according to Forbes—recently hired Ches McDowell, a lobbyist and friend of Donald Trump Jr., to push for the pardon, a person familiar with the relationship said.…”

“… Binance played a key role from an early stage.

USD1 got its first big break when Binance accepted a $2 billion investment from an outside investor paid in the World Liberty coin. The deal caused the amount of the cryptocurrency in circulation to erupt 15-fold and overnight become one of the world’s largest.

USD1 is what is known as a stablecoin, a privately invented digital currency that is backed 1:1 with U.S. dollars. World Liberty invests the money backing the coin in government bonds and money-market funds, without paying interest to users of the coin.

With more than $2 billion of USD1 in circulation, it can earn around $80 million a year based on current interest rates.

Binance has been holding the $2 billion in USD1 on its platform, according to blockchain data and a person familiar with the matter. By not cashing in the stablecoin, this ensures that World Liberty continues to earn money from investing the dollars that back them.

… Trump and his family own 40% of World Liberty. While the company’s overall value isn’t disclosed, a large portion of it is derived from one of its cryptocurrencies. A stake the Trump family owns in that cryptocurrency is worth $4.5 billion, according to a disclosure published Monday.…”

 

[nycfan]

“… Binance played a key role from an early stage.

USD1 got its first big break when Binance accepted a $2 billion investment from an outside investor paid in the World Liberty coin. The deal caused the amount of the cryptocurrency in circulation to erupt 15-fold and overnight become one of the world’s largest.

USD1 is what is known as a stablecoin, a privately invented digital currency that is backed 1:1 with U.S. dollars. World Liberty invests the money backing the coin in government bonds and money-market funds, without paying interest to users of the coin.

With more than $2 billion of USD1 in circulation, it can earn around $80 million a year based on current interest rates.

Binance has been holding the $2 billion in USD1 on its platform, according to blockchain data and a person familiar with the matter. By not cashing in the stablecoin, this ensures that World Liberty continues to earn money from investing the dollars that back them.

… Trump and his family own 40% of World Liberty. While the company’s overall value isn’t disclosed, a large portion of it is derived from one of its cryptocurrencies. A stake the Trump family owns in that cryptocurrency is worth $4.5 billion, according to a disclosure published Monday.…”

“…
World Liberty’s relationship with PancakeSwap, whose website was registered in Shanghai, and Binance is one of several in which entities and individuals with strong ties to China have supported the Trump family crypto business. One of World Liberty’s largest investors is Justin Sun, the Hong Kong-based billionaire.

This comes even as the White House pushes a trade war against China and seeks to curtail U.S. corporations’ ties to the country over national-security fears. Trump this month called on Intel’s chief executive to resign because of his past connections to China.

China is Binance’s largest market by trading volume, the Journal previously reported, and remained so as of the end of last year. It has been a main base for its software developers, with hundreds of coders, according to former employees, internal records and LinkedIn postings.

Binance has long maintained that it isn’t a Chinese company, saying it left Shanghai shortly after its 2017 launch. Zhao, who is also known as CZ, has said he is no longer a Chinese citizen, and holds Canadian and United Arab Emirates citizenship. The company, which has employees around the world, doesn’t have an official headquarters.…”

 

[Geisterfahrer]

“…
World Liberty’s relationship with PancakeSwap, whose website was registered in Shanghai, and Binance is one of several in which entities and individuals with strong ties to China have supported the Trump family crypto business. One of World Liberty’s largest investors is Justin Sun, the Hong Kong-based billionaire.

This comes even as the White House pushes a trade war against China and seeks to curtail U.S. corporations’ ties to the country over national-security fears. Trump this month called on Intel’s chief executive to resign because of his past connections to China.

China is Binance’s largest market by trading volume, the Journal previously reported, and remained so as of the end of last year. It has been a main base for its software developers, with hundreds of coders, according to former employees, internal records and LinkedIn postings.

Binance has long maintained that it isn’t a Chinese company, saying it left Shanghai shortly after its 2017 launch. Zhao, who is also known as CZ, has said he is no longer a Chinese citizen, and holds Canadian and United Arab Emirates citizenship. The company, which has employees around the world, doesn’t have an official headquarters.…”