A sentencing recommendation for Binance crypto exchange founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao following financial crimes includes years in prison.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, will be sentenced next week in federal court in Seattle, and the government is looking for more prison time than originally thought.

Zhao originally faced up to 18 months in prison under the terms of his plea agreement. The DOJ argued in Tuesday's filing that "the scope and ramifications of Zhao's misconduct were massive," and so "an upward variance is appropriate here."