On Monday, a judge ordered Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO and of founder of Binance to remain in the United States for the time being.

Last week, Zhao was released on $175 million bond after pleading guilty to criminal charges related to the operations of the cryptocurrency exchange he founded. The terms of the bail allowed him to return to his home in the United Arab Emirates where he lives with his family. There is no formal extradition treaty between the UAE and the United States.

However prosecutors requested the day after he was released that he be forbidden from leaving the United States prior to his sentencing which is presently set for February 23rd.

The Monday ruling held that Zhao must remain in the United States, while the court considers the motion by the prosecutor which requests he be required to remain until he is sentenced.

Zhao’s lawyers note that the CEO “voluntarily flew” to the United States to make his guilty plea, and therefore he should be allowed to travel and return to his family.

Zhao pleaded guilty last week to charges of violating anti-money laundering requirements in a deal which required him to resign as the CEO of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. The deal with the Justice Department also required the payment of $4.3 billion in penalties, as well as the installation of court-appointed monitors in the exchange, from both the Justice Department and the Treasury Department‘s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network division which will oversee the company’s compliance with all relevant laws and regulations for financial transactions.

The Department of Justice says Zhao will face a prison sentence of between a few months, to ten years. However under the terms of the deal, he is allowed to appeal any sentence which is longer than 18 months.