US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller assisted Chinese-linked crypto company during federal investigation.
New Biden Official Worth Up to $60 Million
Matthew Miller, a former MSNBC talking head and Obama administration official, has joined the Biden administration as a State Department spokesman. However, before joining the government, Miller advised the American subsidiary of a Chinese cryptocurrency exchange under investigation for fraud, money laundering, and enabling Islamic terrorist groups to use its platform. Financial disclosures obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show that Miller was a partner at the crisis communications firm Vianovo, which counts BAM Trading Services, a subsidiary of crypto giant Binance, among its clients.
Miller’s Lucrative Consulting Work
Miller’s work for Binance’s public relations firm could raise eyebrows as he reenters the public sector. But consulting work was highly lucrative for Miller, who has between $30 million and $60 million in assets, including a $25 million to $50 million investment in a Vanguard investment fund, according to his disclosures. Over the past calendar year, Miller received $85,000 in income from Vianovo and $786,435 from its affiliate, VNPG. NBCUniversal paid Miller $98,027 for his appearances on MSNBC, where Miller appeared frequently to trumpet the Trump-Russia collusion hoax.
Binance’s Troubles with Federal Regulators
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission in March sued Binance and its founder, the Chinese-Canadian billionaire Changpeng Zhao, in federal court for allegedly coaching its wealthy clients on how to evade regulations that bar Americans from trading cryptocurrency derivatives. The commission alleged that Binance executives discussed turning a blind eye to transactions conducted by Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group. Binance and Zhao have faced additional scrutiny for hiding extensive links to China.
Binance’s Legal and Lobbying Efforts
Binance, the world’s largest crypto market, has hired a stable of attorneys and lobbyists to handle the federal investigations. Zhao and the company recently hired the white-shoe law firm Latham & Watkins and lobbyists from Hogan Lovells, ICE Miller Strategies, and Fierce Government Relations to lobby Congress and federal agencies, according to disclosures. Catherine Coley, the former CEO of Binance.US, recently hired a former Commodities Future Trade Commission official to represent her in anticipation that she will be in the crosshairs of federal investigators.
Miller’s Role in Binance’s Crisis Communications
It is unclear what work Miller provided Binance, but Vianovo touts its specialty in providing crisis communications for companies facing lawsuits, investigations, or negative publicity. “Our services include risk assessment and planning, crisis communications, litigation support, ally development, congressional testimony preparation, and brand rehabilitation,” the company says. On its website, Vianovo boasts a roster of clients including IBM, Walmart, and the NBA. But financial disclosures indicate that the firm has clients it does not publicly tout, including Binance, Google, and the business empire of Democratic megadonor Pierre Omidyar.
State Department’s Response
Binance did not respond to requests for comment. A State Department spokesperson responded to say that “personnel across the administration follow the highest ethical standards, including recusals when appropriate.”
Update May 2, 10:50 a.m.: This piece has been updated to include comment from the State Department.
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