World Liberty Financial is facing fresh scrutiny after reports linked a major token buyer to an active British money laundering investigation. Guren Bobby Zhou, the businessman behind the entity Aqua 1, funded a $100 million purchase of WLFI tokens. The source of Aqua 1's $100 million WLFI purchase remains entirely unclear, while blockchain analysis linked separate $20 million and $80 million buys to related wallets. The report has renewed widespread questions around crypto token buyers, fund transparency, and due diligence standards across the global cryptocurrency sector, an industry already under pressure from regulators worldwide to strengthen anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer controls.

British authorities arrested Zhou in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering. However, prosecutors have not formally charged him. Officials stated that the investigation remained active in Britain as of late July. The company stated that it followed all applicable laws and maintained strong compliance controls.

World Liberty Buyer Linked to Active UK Investigation

According to court records reviewed by The New York Times, Zhou is connected to an alleged laundering operation dating back to 2019. The filing names six people in the investigation. Two longtime Zhou employees were formally charged last September. One defendant has already pleaded guilty, and a trial for the charged defendants is scheduled for 2028.

Zhou himself has not been charged. British officials noted that the investigation involving him remains open. This legal status leaves the matter unresolved while scrutiny continues to intensify around his broader business network.

Aqua 1 became one of WLFI's largest known token buyers after purchasing $100 million of the tokens. Reuters identified Zhou as the person behind Aqua 1. Notably, the fund had very little public profile in public records before executing the massive transaction.

The Times also reviewed Zhou's other business ventures. One British flooring retailer entered restructuring while owing about $5 million to his father's company. Zhou later launched Caduceus, a decentralized crypto project that raised about $7.6 million. Its native token had lost nearly all of its value by 2024. Caduceus had promoted strategic links with China Merchants Securities UK and the Bin Zayed Group. Both groups rejected those representations to the Times. They explicitly described the claimed involvement as unauthorized and materially false.

After moving to Abu Dhabi in 2024, Zhou began leading Web3Port, a crypto venture fund. Web3Port announced a $10 million World Liberty investment following Donald Trump's January 2025 inauguration.

World Liberty Faces Questions Over $100 Million Source

A Web3Port entity registered in the British Virgin Islands later changed its name to Aqua 1 GP Limited. Exactly two weeks later, Aqua 1 announced the $100 million WLFI purchase.

Blockchain analytics cited by the Times traced two specific purchases linked to the network. A Web3Port-controlled wallet bought $20 million of WLFI in January 2025. Another wallet, likely controlled by Aqua 1, bought another $80 million in June. Aqua 1 previously denied having a connection with Web3Port. However, it did not specify which details it actively disputed. The Times noted that it could not independently determine where the $100 million originated.

World Liberty's revenue structure has also drawn significant attention. The Times reported that as much as $75 million reached a company controlled by Trump and his sons. The transaction also financially benefited the family of World Liberty co-founder Zach Witkoff.

As previously reported, 75% of WLFI token sale proceeds flow to DT Marks DEFI LLC. Trump's financial disclosure listed more than $65.6 million from WLF Holdco equity sales. It also listed $236.25 million in distributed WLFI token sale proceeds.

World Liberty spokesperson David Wachsman stated that the company followed all applicable laws and regulations. He also emphasized that its compliance program meets or exceeds industry standards. However, Wachsman declined to say whether the company knew the source of Zhou's funds. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the Times that Trump had no conflicts of interest. Zhou did not respond to the newspaper's requests for comment.