World Liberty's $100 million token buyer arrested in the UK for money laundering

Aqua1 bought WLFI tokens for US$100 million. Who are the people behind the scenes?

According to court records and people familiar with the matter, Guren "Bobby" Zhou, a businessman involved in Aqua1 's US$100 million purchase of World Liberty Financial governance tokens, was arrested in the UK in 2021 on suspicion of money laundering. Zhou has not yet been formally charged. British officials said the investigation was still ongoing as of the end of July 2025, while a court document in November 2025 accused him of participating in a money laundering operation dating back to 2019 with five others. Two long-term employees of Zhou were charged in the case in September 2025, and one of the defendants has pleaded guilty. The trial against the accused is scheduled to be held in 2028. The review of this matter is important because Zhou has been identified as the actual controller behind Aqua 1. Aqua1, a previously little-known fund based in the United Arab Emirates, became one of the largest known buyers of WLFI in 2025. Aqua1 purchased $100 million worth of World Liberty tokens, which raised questions about its funding sources and investment methods. World Liberty stated that it complied with all applicable laws and regulations. Zhou did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations.

Where did Aqua 1 's $100 million come from?

The source of the $100 million funding used to purchase WLFI remains unclear. Existing records show that before founding Aqua1, Zhou had been involved in a number of companies, including a British flooring retailer, encryption project Caduceus, and investment firm Web3 Port. The flooring retailer failed to repay about $5 million in debt to a company controlled by Zhou's father as it entered restructuring proceedings. Zhou then launched Caduceus, a project that raised approximately $7.6 million before the tokens became almost worthless in 2024. Caduceus has publicly claimed support from China Merchants Securities (UK) and Bin Zayed Group, founded by members of Abu Dhabi's royal family. But both agencies later said the claims about their involvement were "unauthorized and grossly false." In 2024, Zhou moved from London to Abu Dhabi and later joined crypto venture firm Web3 Port. The company announced a $10 million investment in World Liberty shortly after Trump took office in January 2025. Company records later revealed that a Web3Port entity registered in The British Virgin Islands changed its name to Aqua1GP Limited. Two weeks after changing its name, Aqua 1 announced a $100 million WLFI deal. Blockchain analysis also further confirmed the connection between these transactions. In January 2025, one wallet controlled by the Web3Port purchased approximately $20 million in WLFI; another wallet believed to be controlled by Aqua 1 purchased another $80 million in June 2025.

Investor Highlights

The core issue is not whether Zhou has been convicted-he has not yet been charged. The financial question is: Can World Liberty provide sufficient transparency about major token buyers when large purchases generate huge revenue for entities associated with its founders?

How does the purchase of WLFI benefit the owners of World Liberty?

According to World Liberty's revenue sharing structure, up to $75 million of the US$100 million in tokens purchased by Aqua1 may have gone to a company controlled by Trump and his son. Previous disclosures showed that 75% of WLFI token sales revenue was allocated to DT Marks DEFI LLC, an entity controlled by Trump. Trump's latest financial disclosures show he received more than $65.6 million from the sale of WLF Holdco's equity and $236.25 million from World Liberty's token sale proceeds distribution. The deal also brought financial benefits to the family of World Liberty co-founder Zach Witkoff. His father, Steve Witkoff, served as a special envoy in the Trump administration, adding another layer of scrutiny to the project's ownership and revenue arrangements. World Liberty spokesman David Wachsman said the company complied with applicable laws and maintained a compliance program that "meets or exceeds industry standards." He declined to say whether World Liberty knew of Zhou's funding sources. A White House spokesman separately stated that Trump had no conflict of interest.

Why is funding sources important to WLFI?

Large token purchases are particularly sensitive when the buyer's identity, source of funds and related entities are difficult to verify. Crypto projects can quickly receive funds through blockchain transactions, but even if the transaction itself is publicly visible, issues with actual ownership and verification of the source of funds can pose legal and reputational risks. Aqua1 had previously denied it when it was linked to the Web3Port, but did not specify what content in the report it denied. Since then, company records and wallet activity have provided more evidence of a link between the two entities. For World Liberty, this issue may become even more important as the project expands and seeks to build relationships with regulated agencies. Investors, counterparties and regulators may examine whether large token buyers have undergone enhanced due diligence, especially since these purchases have generated tens of millions of dollars in revenue for entities linked to politically sensitive figures. An outstanding issue remains the source of the $100 million funding for Aqua 1. Before more information was disclosed, the deal exposed World Liberty to questions not only about who bought its tokens, but also about "how much the project knew about the funding background of one of its largest investors."