The BitMEX founders argued their charges under the Bank Secrecy Act were politically motivated and unjustified

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In a statement, Delo said he and his colleagues had been "wrongfully targeted." "This full and unconditional pardon by President Trump is a vindication of the position we have always held — that BitMEX, my co-founders and I should never have been charged with a criminal offense through an obscure, antiquated law," he said. "As the most successful crypto exchange of its kind, we were wrongfully made to serve as an example, sacrificed for political reasons and used to send inconsistent regulatory signals. I’m sincerely grateful to the President for granting this pardon to me and my co-founders."