Catenaa, Wednesday, August 12, 2026-A businessman behind a $100 million purchase of World Liberty Financial tokens was arrested in Britain in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering and remains connected to an active investigation, according to a New York Times report.
Guren “Bobby” Zhou, identified as the businessman behind UAE-based Aqua 1, has not been charged. A British court filing last November accused him of participating with five others in an alleged money laundering operation dating to 2019.
Two longtime employees were charged in September, while one defendant has pleaded guilty. A trial involving those charged is scheduled for 2028.
The disclosure places renewed attention on Aqua 1’s $100 million purchase of WLFI governance tokens in 2025, one of the largest known investments in the Trump-linked crypto venture.
The source of the $100 million remains unclear, according to the Times, which reviewed court records and confidential documents and interviewed Zhou’s former associates.
Zhou previously operated a British flooring retailer and later founded crypto project Caduceus. Its token had become effectively worthless by 2024 after the company spent about $7.6 million in funding.
After moving to Abu Dhabi in 2024, Zhou led Web3Port, a crypto investment operation that announced a $10 million World Liberty investment following President Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.
A Web3Port entity registered in the British Virgin Islands later changed its name to Aqua 1 GP Limited. Two weeks later, Aqua 1 announced its $100 million WLFI purchase.
Blockchain analysis cited by the Times linked a Web3Port-controlled wallet to $20 million in WLFI purchases and another wallet likely controlled by Aqua 1 to an additional $80 million.
Aqua 1 previously denied a connection with Web3Port.
The transaction carries added political weight because of World Liberty’s financial links to the Trump family.
Under World Liberty’s revenue arrangements, as much as $75 million from Aqua 1’s purchase could have flowed to a company controlled by Trump and his sons, according to the Times.
Previous disclosures have shown that 75% of WLFI token-sale proceeds were directed to DT Marks DEFI LLC, a Trump-controlled entity.
World Liberty said it complied with applicable laws and maintained a compliance program meeting or exceeding industry standards. The company declined to say whether it knew the source of Zhou’s funds.
The White House said Trump had no conflicts of interest.
The revelations arrive as Congress debates stricter crypto ethics provisions involving senior government officials. That debate has emerged as one of the obstacles confronting the CLARITY Act as senators prepare for a Sept. 15 procedural vote.
