Binance is under scrutiny as two U.S. Senators, Elizabeth Warren and Chris Van Hollen, have called for an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into potential false statements made by the exchange to lawmakers.
According to a letter obtained by Bloomberg, the Senators expressed concerns about Binance’s business practices and questioned whether its affiliate, Binance.US, is truly a separate entity as claimed by Binance.
The allegations come in the wake of the recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Binance and its CEO, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.
The SEC’s suit accuses the exchange of selling unregistered securities, mingling customer funds, and alleges that CZ exerted covert control over Binance.US.
In their letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Senators Warren and Van Hollen emphasized the importance of investigating Binance’s potential false statements, describing the matter as serious.
The Senators had previously raised concerns about the exchange’s activities, referring to it as a “hotbed of illegal financial activity” in a separate letter sent to CZ and Binance.US in March.
The March letter from the Senators highlighted their doubts about Binance.US’s independence, asserting that CZ effectively controlled the company, making it a de facto subsidiary of Binance. These concerns have now prompted their call for a DOJ investigation into the matter.
