Rumors have surfaced that Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao is included in Interpol’s Red Notice list, but the international law enforcement agency doesn’t list the crypto mogul as of this writing.

A Red Notice is an international wanted person notice issued to all 194 Interpol member nations to seek the location, arrest, and extradition of a person wanted for prosecution or sentence serving.

The rumor started with a cryptic tweet from UpOnly podcast host Jordan Fish — also known on Twitter as @cobie — of a cryptographic hash function which translates to “Interpol Red Notice for CZ”, referencing to Zhao.

Soon, the rumor spread across the Twitteverse, expectedly so since Binance and Zhao are currently facing regulatory hurdles and legal cases.

A certain user even posted a screenshot of the Interpol’s Red Notice list with Zhao’s photo included. The Binance chief, however, quickly dismissed the photo as edited and the tweet was apparently deleted the user.

A quick check of Interpol’s website shows that Zhao is not part of the Red Notice list as of this writing.

Zhao also advised his followers to block “FUD” sources, saying if one easily panics and sells on FUD or edited images, they won’t likely become rich.

But Zhao’s case is very much real

While Zhao on Red Notice isn’t real (yet), the rumor was fueled by the recent legal hurdle that the Binance CEO is facing. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a complaint in federal court in Chicago against Binance and Zhao claiming they routinely flouted American derivatives rules as the company grew into the world’s largest trading platform.

Because the CFTC is a civil government agency, it cannot criminally prosecute companies or seek jail time for individuals. However, regulatory lawsuits can impose large fines and other penalties on companies and individuals.

Why did the rumor on Zhao being part of the Red Notice list spread that far when one quick check in the Interpol website would quickly debunk it? It is possible that in the advent age of disinformation and alternative facts, this is an example of prioritizing speed over content–even to the extent of how false news can get better mileage when there’s a malicious intent ascribed to the content.

The rumor, whatever the intent was, had real results. Binance’s BNB and bitcoin prices had sharp drops following the rumor but quickly recovered.

But it wouldn’t spread that far if the likelihood of the event happening is not believable. Change Zhao with anyone less suspicious of a character with no ongoing legal issues and the rumor would’ve been dismissed as quickly as it had been started.

But it can’t be discounted that the CFTC case is growing legs, especially with the incriminating level of messages the agency was able to gather on Binance’s former chief compliance officer, Samuel Lim. Red Notice or not, Zhao is set for a legal bout soon.

Information for this briefing was found via the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.