PANews reported on October 24th that Semafor reported that a top legislative initiative for the crypto industry encountered further resistance shortly after CEOs of various companies met with senators to salvage bipartisan negotiations. First, law enforcement authorities accused NBA head coach Chauncey Billups and others of using cryptocurrency to launder proceeds from a mafia-linked gambling ring. Then, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, whose company provided the first major development opportunity for the Trump family's cryptocurrency venture. These two developments could provide new ammunition to Democrats, who had already expressed concerns about illicit finance and conflicts of interest during a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, on the bill's passage. Senator Ruben Gallego stated, "This pardon highlights further corruption within the Trump administration." North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis stated, "I would be shocked if [this Congress] makes significant progress on cryptocurrency, as it has become a political minefield."