Trump-Linked Crypto Firm Partners with Network Tied to Sanctioned Fraud Syndicate

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the crypto company co-owned by the Trump family, announced a partnership with a blockchain network called AB just weeks after the US government sanctioned over 140 people and entities tied to one of Asia’s largest criminal organizations.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the AB network’s flagship project — a planned blockchain-themed resort in East Timor — involved three people sanctioned in that crackdown. These individuals include Yang Jian, a Cyprus citizen sanctioned for aiding a notorious “predatory investment” resort in Palau connected to the Prince Group, a Cambodia-based criminal syndicate accused of running violent scams and stealing billions through “pig butchering” schemes. Also sanctioned were Yang Yanming, the resort’s general manager, and Shih Ting-yu, a Taiwanese national involved in the project. All three were removed from the company shortly after the sanctions but face no charges.

The partnership announced on November 12, 2025, gave AB the right to carry WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin on its blockchain network, touted as a boost to AB’s decentralized finance and payments ecosystem. However, corporate documents and investigative reporting reveal that the resort project’s shady ties were known to US authorities and raise serious questions about WLFI’s claimed due diligence.

WLFI’s lawyers insist the company was unaware of AB’s connection to the East Timor resort until January 2026 and deny any links to sanctioned individuals. AB stated the resort deal was never fully implemented and was canceled before substantive action. Still, the timing and associations cast a shadow over WLFI’s operations.

This is not the first time WLFI has faced scrutiny. The company is currently embroiled in a lawsuit from Tron founder Justin Sun, who alleges WLFI froze his tokens and threatened to burn them without cause.

WLFI’s partnership with a network tied to a major fraud syndicate highlights the risks of unregulated crypto ventures and the Trump family’s continued entanglement in questionable financial deals. As the US government cracks down on global criminal networks exploiting blockchain, WLFI’s claims of clean hands ring increasingly hollow.

We will keep tracking WLFI’s murky dealings and the broader Trump-linked crypto scene that exploits regulatory gaps to enrich insiders at the expense of public trust.