Verdict:
Partially True — The truth behind the allegation of Zach Witkoff’s arrest on cocaine charges is partly true. The arrest did take place, but it took place in 2022, which makes it not a recent occurrence. The failure to provide such information in posts circulated online changes the meaning of the claim entirely.
A viral statement on X has raised new questions about Zach Witkoff, the co-founder of World Liberty Financial (WLFI), claiming his arrest for cocaine possession.
In reality, upon further examination of public records and previous news stories, it turns out that although the arrest took place, it happened some time ago. To be more specific, the event occurred in January 2022, which makes the story misrepresentative because of missing information.
The viral statement emerged from the product partner of BTCC Exchange, Strong Hedge X’s Twitter account, stating that Witkoff was “arrested for cocaine.” As a result, many people reacted to the statement on the social network. However, in doing so, they failed to mention one important fact—that the arrest took place in 2022.
What’s the truth
Based on prior reports and records, Witkoff was arrested by police on January 1, 2022, near the E11EVEN club in Miami. Sources claim that the events led to a clash because his father, Steve Witkoff, was not allowed inside the building. In this process, the police conducted a search and claimed that they found a bag containing cocaine.
The authorities then accused him of committing disorderly behavior, resisting arrest, and felony possession. Footage from a body-worn camera captured how Witkoff communicated with the officers and gave several accounts about the events, explaining that he was helping a friend at first and denying ownership of the drug later on.
In addition, according to court papers, Witkoff paid bail and pled not guilty to all charges. At the start, the prosecutors took the case, but later, the felony possession and resisting arrest charges were dropped. However, there are no significant sources discussing the conclusion of the legal outcome.
Circulation of the video again takes place amid a rather critical moment for WLFI, since the company is presently under investigation. In particular, an ongoing lawsuit brought by crypto businessman Justin Sun against World Liberty Financial has cast further light on the inner workings of the company.
However, Zach Witkoff has dismissed all the claims by Justin Sun, claiming that the legal action is an attempt to divert attention from Sun’s own conduct, adding that the firm acted to protect its platform and users.
Old cases gain popularity
Although the video has surfaced for real, its timing may have created misunderstandings. The social media posts that show the arrest without putting it in context could mislead the viewers into thinking that it is about a newly emerging legal case involving Witkoff. However, no such information has been brought forward that indicates any arrest was made recently against him because of the alleged claims.
This scenario demonstrates the fact that old cases gain popularity and recognition when they have something to do with the ongoing issues.
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