Senators Call for Probe of US President Donald Trump Crypto Firm Over Alleged Ties to North Korea and Russia

TLDR

• Senators Warren and Reed seek a probe into Trump-linked crypto firm World Liberty Financial.

• World Liberty Financial allegedly sold tokens to entities tied to North Korea and Russia.

• The probe is focused on potential national security risks and lack of safeguards.

• Trump family’s involvement in the firm raises concerns about financial conflicts of interest.

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed have called for an investigation into World Liberty Financial (WLF), a cryptocurrency firm linked to President Donald Trump’s family. The senators raised concerns about the firm’s possible connections to illicit actors from North Korea and Russia, posing potential national security risks. The letter, sent to Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, calls for a thorough review of the company’s operations, particularly its governance structure and compliance with anti-money laundering laws.

The senators expressed concerns over WLF’s sale of $WLFI tokens, particularly to entities with ties to North Korea’s Lazarus Group and Russian sanctions evasion schemes. A report by nonprofit watchdog Accountable highlighted these issues, flagging the sale of tokens to individuals with suspicious blockchain connections. The senators argue that this could give adversaries a direct influence over the company’s decision-making processes, further heightening national security risks.

World Liberty Financial’s Alleged Sales to Suspicious Entities

According to the letter from Senators Warren and Reed, World Liberty Financial’s lack of sufficient safeguards allowed the sale of $WLFI tokens to highly suspicious entities. One such transaction involved the sale of $10,000 worth of tokens to traders linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, a hacking organization known for its cybercrime activities.

Another sale involved a Russian entity that used the tokens in an attempt to evade sanctions, as well as connections to Tornado Cash, a platform known for laundering money.

Warren and Reed argue that by allowing these sales, World Liberty Financial has exposed itself to national security threats. They also noted that the lack of robust anti-money laundering (AML) controls in place for $WLFI transactions could enable illicit activity to flourish, especially with the firm’s plans for future expansions, including a debit card and tokenized commodities. “Such activities risk supercharging illicit finance activity,” the senators warned.

Donald Trump Family’s Involvement and Potential Conflicts of Interest

World Liberty Financial is not only tied to questionable entities but also closely linked to the Trump family. The company’s website lists Donald Trump’s children—Eric, Donald Jr., and Barron Trump—as key co-founders, while Donald Trump is listed as a “Co-Founder Emeritus.” The firm’s token sales directly benefit the Trump family, with the letter noting that 75% of the proceeds from $WLFI token sales go to the Trump family’s associated entity, DT Marks DEFI LLC.

The senators raised concerns about financial conflicts of interest, especially considering that the Trump family holds a significant portion of the firm’s equity.

According to their letter, the Trump family stands to profit from these token sales, even when the tokens are sold to entities linked to North Korea and Russia. This, the senators argue, represents a serious conflict of interest, particularly for any U.S. government officials involved in overseeing the company.

Calls for Urgent Action and Upcoming Legislation

The senators’ request for a probe comes as Congress debates new cryptocurrency regulations. With legislation potentially limiting oversight on governance tokens like $WLFI, Warren and Reed emphasized the urgency of the investigation.

They warned that without strong regulation and enforcement, crypto ventures like World Liberty Financial could circumvent U.S. national security interests.

In addition to the ongoing investigation into WLF’s business practices, the senators called on the Treasury and Justice Department to provide an update on potential enforcement actions by December 1. Their letter highlights the need for clarity and accountability, particularly as the U.S. government seeks to balance crypto innovation with national security protections.

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