World Liberty Financial (WLFI), co-owned by the Trump family, has partnered with blockchain network AB, despite AB's ties to individuals recently sanctioned by the US government. The partnership, announced on November 12, 2025, allows AB to carry WLFI's USD1 stablecoin. However, AB's flagship project in East Timor involved three individuals sanctioned for connections to a major criminal organization. The Wall Street Journal reports that AB's resort project in Timor-Leste was linked to Yang Jian, Yang Yanming, and Shih Ting-yu, all sanctioned by the US Treasury. These individuals were removed from the project following the sanctions. WLFI claims it was unaware of these connections during its due diligence process and only learned of them in January 2026. AB stated that the resort project was part of a separate agreement that was canceled before implementation.