Tomy Shelby

The WSJ published a smear campaign, not a news story. Our Co-Founder @zakfolkman set the record straight: "The Wall Street Journal just published an article so full of fiction, misdirection, and political spin it could’ve been labeled opinion—if it weren’t masquerading as journalism. It’s a coordinated attempt to discredit honest entrepreneurship with false narratives and lazy innuendo. So here are the facts—directly from me. World Liberty Financial (WLFI) was founded months before President Trump was reelected. Ambassador Steve Witkoff, who has served this country with distinction, is in the process of fully divesting from WLFI. He has no operational role, no financial interest in WLFI deals, and no influence on day-to-day decisions. The Wall Street Journal knows this—but chose to ignore it. We traveled to Pakistan to explore opportunities with my personal friend, Bilal bin Saqib. That relationship predates any “Pakistan Crypto Council” or the broader crypto headlines the WSJ is now trying to sensationalize. CZ did not introduce us and Bilal and I have known each other for much longer than CZ has. The suggestion that CZ acted as a “facilitator" or "fixer” for Zach Witkoff or WLFI is not only false—it’s laughable. WLFI never discussed government business in Pakistan—or anywhere else. We’ve never coordinated with the U.S. government. We’re a private company having private-sector conversations. Trying to draw a connection between our independent efforts and unrelated U.S. foreign policy talks is deliberately misleading. Let’s clear up just a few of the more bizarre claims and implied associations—there are too many to unpack them all, but here are some highlights: • The idea that WLFI token sales allow undisclosed foreign influence is false. Every token sale is filed under Reg D and Reg S. We conduct full KYC on every purchaser. • Gentry Beach has no involvement with WLFI—zero. • No one at WLFI has claimed any of our deals “could aid U.S. expansion plans” for our partners. That quote is fiction. • And the claim that Zach Witkoff referred to President Trump as his “godfather” is absurd on its face. He’s Jewish. He doesn’t have godparents and would never say anything like that. The WSJ didn’t just miss the mark—they weren’t even aiming at the truth. This piece is a case study in why people don’t trust the media anymore. It’s not about facts—it’s about fueling a political agenda, attacking innovators, and punishing anyone building something that challenges the status quo. WLFI will keep building, because the future of finance deserves transparency, fairness, and truth. The media may be comfortable printing fiction—but we’ll keep working in reality. — Zak Folkman Co-Founder, World Liberty Financial"