World Liberty received $100 million from businessman investigated for money laundering: NYT
Quick TakeGuren “Bobby” Zhou, the businessman behind Aqua 1s $100 million purchase of World Liberty Financial tokens, was arrested in Britain in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering, The New York Times reported.Zhou has not been charged. British officials told the Times that the investigation remained active as of late July.The source of the $100 million remains unclear. World Liberty said it followed all applicable laws and regulations. Guren “Bobby” Zhou, the businessman behind Aqua 1s $100 million purchase of World Liberty Financial (WLFI) governance tokens, was arrested in Britain in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering and remains connected to an active investigation, The New York Times reported Sunday. Zhou has not been charged. A British court record filed last November accused him of participating with five other people in a money laundering operation dating to 2019, according to the Times. Two of his longtime employees were charged in the case last September, and one defendant has pleaded guilty. A trial for the charged defendants is scheduled for 2028. Reuters first identified Zhou as the person behind Aqua 1, the Times noted. The Block reported in June 2025 that the little-known UAE-based fund had purchased $100 million of WLFI, making it one









