Buyer of $100M in Trump-linked tokens tied to money laundering probe

The purchase of WLFI tokens in 2025 has placed Zhou at the center of a complex financial web. While he has not been formally charged, court records filed last November link him to a 2019 money laundering operation alongside five associates, two of whom were charged in September 2025. The source of the $100 million used for the Aqua 1 acquisition remains opaque, even as up to $75 million of that sum flowed to a company controlled by Donald Trump and his sons.

Investigations into Zhou’s history reveal a pattern of troubled business dealings. Before relocating to Abu Dhabi in 2024, his previous projects, including a British flooring retailer and a crypto venture called Caduceus, faced significant financial failures and allegations of unauthorized claims regarding partnerships. Corporate records show that Aqua 1, the vehicle used for the World Liberty investment, shares direct ties to Zhou’s former crypto fund, Web3Port.

This transaction is one of several UAE-linked investments in World Liberty currently under congressional review. Lawmakers are investigating whether these massive capital inflows create conflicts of interest for the Trump administration, particularly given the timing of major arms sales and technology transfers to the UAE. While a spokesperson for World Liberty maintains the firm complies with all industry standards, the company has declined to clarify the provenance of Zhou’s funds. Meanwhile, the White House continues to distance the President from the daily operations of the business, asserting that his assets are managed independently by his family.