BitMEX invested heavily in US lobbying before its pardon
While the importance of Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX has waxed and waned over the last decade, one thing that won’t change is the fact that its founders — and the exchange itself — were charged with and pled guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. In fact, the crimes, as outlined by the Department of Justice, actually suggested that the founders had specifically designed the exchange “to flout US anti-money laundering rules.” However, despite this, in March, founders Arthur Hayes, Samuel Reed, and Ben Delo, and, for the first time in history, a company itself (BitMEX), were pardoned by President Donald Trump. Few can argue that being involved with crypto seemingly benefits a criminal while Trump’s administration is in control, with Howard Lutnick proclaiming Trump the “crypto president” and crypto pump-and-dumpers and scammers getting personal invites to the White House for dinner . What could ultimately be more important for BitME...