UK Money Laundering Case: Chinese Business Tycoon Buys $100 million Worth of WLFI Tokens, $75 million Flows into Trump Family Entity

Original Article Title: "UK Money Laundering Case: Chinese Businessman Buys $100 Million of WLFI Tokens, $75 Million Flows to Trump Family Entity"
Original Article Author: Claude, Deep Tide TechFlow

Deep Tide Summary: On August 10, The New York Times revealed that a $100 million governance token transaction received by the Trump family's crypto project, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), had the behind-the-scenes buyer identified as the UK money laundering suspect Guren "Bobby" Zhou. This transaction was completed in June 2025 through the UAE-registered fund Aqua 1. According to WLFI's revenue-sharing structure, up to $75 million flowed into entities controlled by Trump and his three sons under DT Marks DEFI LLC. As of the end of July 2026, the UK law enforcement's money laundering investigation into Zhou is still ongoing, and Zhou has not been formally charged.

The New York Times published an investigative report on the 10th, putting the Trump family's crypto project, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), in the spotlight. The report identifies that WLFI's largest publicly disclosed token purchase, a $100 million fund, came from a businessman, Zhou, who is currently under investigation by the UK law enforcement for money laundering. The transaction, completed in June 2025 through the UAE-registered fund Aqua 1, made Zhou the largest single public investor in WLFI's history.

Zhou, also known as Bobby Zhou in English, was arrested in the UK in March 2021 on suspicion of money laundering. UK officials confirmed to The New York Times that, as of the end of July 2026, the investigation is still ongoing. Zhou himself has not been formally charged and has not responded to the reports.

Two Wallets Purchased in Batches, On-Chain Path Leads to Same Controller

This is not Zhou's first intersection with WLFI. Blockchain analysis company Arkham Intelligence traced on-chain records and found that the $100 million purchase was completed in two parts: in January 2025, a wallet controlled by Web3Port bought $20 million of WLFI, and in June 2025, another wallet believed to be controlled by Aqua 1 bought $80 million, totaling $100 million.

The connection between Web3Port and Aqua 1 was verified after The New York Times reviewed company records. A BVI-registered entity, Web3Port, was subsequently renamed Aqua 1 GP Limited. About two weeks after the renaming, Aqua 1 announced the $100 million WLFI purchase. Aqua 1 had previously publicly denied any connection to Web3Port but did not specify which part of the reports was inaccurate. Web3Port had earlier announced a $10 million investment in WLFI shortly after Trump's inauguration in January 2025.

$75 million Diverted to Trump Family Entity

Under WLFI's revenue-sharing arrangement, up to $75 million of a $100 million purchase is set to flow to a Trump-affiliated entity, DT Marks DEFI LLC, controlled by Trump and his three sons, representing 75% of the token sale revenue going to the Trump family. This transaction also benefits WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff's family, as his father, Steve Witkoff, currently serves as a special envoy for the Trump administration.

Trump's latest financial disclosure reveals he received over $65.6 million from WLF Holdco equity sales and $236.25 million from WLFI token sale allocations. Eric Trump met with Guo Wengui in Dubai to discuss the investment, which Guo later described as "participation in a crypto project with the Trump family."

Guo Wengui's String of Failures: Flooring Retail Bankruptcy, Worthless Crypto Tokens

The source of Guo Wengui's funds remains a mystery, with The New York Times stating it could not verify the final origins of $100 million. Reports delve into Guo's past business dealings in the UK, with several ventures ending in failure.

Guo previously ran a UK flooring retail business that went into administration, leaving approximately $5 million in debt to his father's company unpaid. He then pivoted to the crypto space with the Caduceus project, which raised about $7.6 million. By 2024, the project's token was nearly worthless. Caduceus had claimed backing from China Merchants Securities UK and the Bin Zayed Group, founded by members of the Abu Dhabi royal family. Both institutions told The New York Times that the statements were "unauthorized and materially false."

In 2024, Guo moved from London to Abu Dhabi and became associated with Web3Port and later Aqua 1, aligning these entities as major buyers of WLFI's primary token. A Chinese court also issued a combined civil judgment of approximately 19.4 million RMB (about $2.4 million) against Guo for unpaid loans.

Compliance Expert Flags Concerns, Retired NATO General Declines Interview

Patrick Prinz, Chief Operating Officer of crypto crime investigation firm Recoveris, told The New York Times that red flags in Guo's profile should have triggered anti-money laundering documentation requirements before WLFI received funds. He outlined red flag signals, including Guo's numerous business failures, sudden access to significant funds, transaction sizes, and ongoing investigations, which together meet the threshold for filing suspicious activity reports.

International anti-money laundering rules have listed Trump and his family as "Politically Exposed Persons," with Patrick Prinz noting that this status should trigger the highest level of regulatory scrutiny in the financial system.

Guo promoted WLFI investments with a letter of credit, displaying photos of the Trump father and son at meetings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, touting Aqua 1 as the "most substantial investor" in WLFI with a "proven creditworthiness." Retired NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark told The New York Times that his team conducted a background check on Guo after Guo's representative reached out about an event, following which they disengaged from the conversation. The Clark team reportedly told Guo's representative, "We will not speak with you."

Congressional Scrutiny Intensifies as Abu Dhabi $500 Million Investment Comes Under Senatorial Radar

In June 2026, five Republican committee leaders called for a hearing on the $500 million investment Aryam Investment 1, a company based in Abu Dhabi, made into WLFI. Aryam is backed by the UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly reiterated that Trump has no conflicts of interest. WLFI spokesperson David Wachsman stated that the company complies with all relevant laws and maintains compliance projects that "meet or exceed industry standards." He declined to comment on whether WLFI was aware of Guo's funding source.

Following the NYT report, the WLFI token traded at $0.05295, remaining relatively stable intraday but experiencing a 57% surge in 24-hour trading volume. In terms of legal proceedings, a criminal trial involving two of Guo's employees is scheduled for 2028, with one of the defendants having already pleaded guilty.

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