World Liberty’s $100M WLFI buyer linked to UK money laundering probe

Guren “Bobby” Zhou, the businessman identified as the person behind Aqua 1’s $100 million purchase of World Liberty Financial tokens, has remained linked to an active British money laundering investigation after his 2021 arrest, despite not being charged. Summary Zhou was arrested in Britain in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering but has not been charged. Aqua 1 bought $100 million of World Liberty Financial’s WLFI tokens in 2025. The source of the $100 million used for the WLFI purchase remains unclear. Up to $75 million from the Aqua 1 purchase went to a Trump controlled entity. World Liberty has faced congressional scrutiny over separate UAE linked investments. The New York Times reported Sunday that British authorities arrested Zhou in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering, while a court record filed last November accused him of participating with five other people in a laundering operation dating to 2019. Two of Zhou’s longtime employees were charged in the case in September 2025, according to the report. One defendant has since pleaded guilty, while the trial involving the charged defendants is scheduled for 2028. Zhou himself has not been charged with a crime. The case has...