- Zhou’s previous business ventures, including a failed flooring company and Caduceus, provide context for questions surrounding his ability to make the $100 million investment.
- Blockchain analysis connected separate WLFI purchases to wallets associated with Web3Port and Aqua 1, while the origin of the overall investment has not been established.
- WLFI says its compliance programme meets industry standards, while part of the token-sale proceeds went to a company controlled by Trump and his sons.
A US$100 million (AU$142 million) purchase of World Liberty Financial (WLFI) tokens has drawn scrutiny after the businessman identified as Aqua 1’s backer was linked to an ongoing UK money-laundering investigation.
Guren “Bobby” Zhou was arrested in Britain in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering, but has never been charged. A court record filed last November alleges that Zhou participated with five others in a money-laundering effort beginning in 2019. Two former employees were charged last September, while one defendant pleaded guilty.
The origins of Zhou’s investment remain unresolved. Before his crypto ventures, he ran a British flooring business that entered administration and did not repay about US$5 million (AU$7.1 million) owed to his father’s company. He subsequently established Caduceus, whose token was effectively worthless by 2024 after the project spent about US$7.6 million (AU$10.8 million). Claims that Caduceus had backing from China Merchants Securities UK and the Bin Zayed Group were later described by both organisations as unauthorised and materially false.
Related: WLFI Token Unlock Plan Nears Approval as Whales Dominate Vote
The Shift into Digital Assets
Following his move to Abu Dhabi in 2024, an investment in WLFI was made in January 2025. Blockchain analysis later linked wallets to US$20 million (AU$28.4 million) in January and US$80 million (AU$113.6 million) in June.
WLFI said it complied with applicable laws and maintained a compliance programme meeting or exceeding industry standards, but did not disclose whether it knew the source of the funds. Up to US$75 million (AU$106.5 million) from the purchase was distributed to a company controlled by Trump and his sons.
Related: Jim Cramer Says He’s Selling Bitcoin Over Quantum Computing Fears
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