ChainCatcher news, the judge has once again rejected the previous proposal from the U.S. Department of Justice for a 36-month imprisonment, ultimately sentencing him to 4 months in prison.

ChainCatcher news, according to on-site reporter @nikhileshde, the judge in the CZ case stated that he personally read 161 letters of support, because "it's important to understand who Zhao Changpeng is." He has never seen so many letters of support, not only from family but also from people who have known Zhao Changpeng for a long time. These letters depict a person driven by passion and energy. Zhao Changpeng took the risk of losing all his assets to make Binance successful.

ChainCatcher news, according to on-site reporter @nikhileshde, the judge stated that everything seen regarding Zhao Changpeng and the characteristics of Zhao Changpeng is of a mitigating nature. The court has investigated the fact that Zhao Changpeng took significant and unconventional measures to cooperate with law enforcement.

ChainCatcher news, according to on-site reporter @nikhileshde, Zhao Changpeng made a brief statement during today's court hearing, stating that the first step in taking responsibility is to fully recognize the mistakes, and Binance has acknowledged the importance of having a strong KYC/AML program.

ChainCatcher news, Judge Jones in the Zhao Changpeng case inquired whether Zhao Changpeng's defense attorney agreed to a five-month sentence, to which the defense attorney responded affirmatively, stating that there are six additional factors you can consider for further sentence reduction.

ChainCatcher news, according to on-site reporter @nikhileshde, Zhao Changpeng's defense attorney stated that all factors in this case support a lighter sentence for Zhao Changpeng.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk reporters, Zhao Changpeng's mother, son, nephew, and sister were all present at the hearing. Zhao Changpeng's defense attorney stated that Zhao Changpeng did not evade responsibility, but chose to come to the United States for trial.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Verge, the probation management department recommends a sentence of 5 months in prison, which is sufficient to deter the defendant and others.

ChainCatcher news, according to on-site reporter @nikhileshde, the judge in the Zhao Changpeng case seems to remain very skeptical of the Justice Department's argument for extending the sentence, requesting to ask other questions. However, the U.S. Department of Justice lawyers continue to assert that the judgment must reflect the severity of the crime.

ChainCatcher news, according to on-site reporter @nikhileshde, a lawyer from the U.S. Department of Justice stated that CZ and Binance did encourage enhanced compliance, but this was after the incident occurred. This is what they should have done; while it is commendable, it does not warrant probation here. The DOJ lawyer urged for a "meaningful" prison sentence before concluding: "Probation here would incentivize others to break the law and do so on as large a scale as possible."

ChainCatcher news, reported by journalist @nikhileshde on the scene, the U.S. Department of Justice attorney stated: "If Zhao Changpeng intentionally or willfully planned to violate U.S. law by establishing the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange and profiting in the process, and he does not face imprisonment, then no one will face imprisonment, and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) would be a mere formality in terms of its intent and purpose."

ChainCatcher news, reported by journalist @nikhileshde on the scene, the U.S. Department of Justice lawyers believe that Zhao Changpeng's courage to appear in court and face trial is commendable, although this is a basic fulfillment of the plea agreement.