In early November, the U.S. Justice Department imposed a $4.3 billion penalty on Binance Holdings Ltd. for various wrongdoings, including money laundering and aiding criminals. Former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) stepped down, admitting to money laundering. A class action lawsuit filed on Nov. 28 alleges that soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo’s endorsement of Binance resulted in financial losses and the sale of unregistered securities. The lawsuit focuses on Ronaldo’s CR7 non-fungible token (NFT) collection, claiming the NFTs, endorsed by Ronaldo, are essentially worthless, causing substantial financial losses to buyers. The plaintiffs seek damages exceeding $1 billion, arguing Ronaldo should have disclosed his compensation for endorsing the collection. This is reminiscent of a similar lawsuit involving Kim Kardashian’s endorsement of a crypto scam in 2022. Other entities, including MLB, Formula 1, and celebrities, are also facing lawsuits for their involvement in the defunct crypto trading platform FTX Trading Ltd.
By FCCT Editorial Team

