CZ's sentencing hearing will begin at 0:00 Beijing time on May 1

CZ could face years in prison when he is sentenced after pleading guilty on Tuesday to violating U.S. money laundering laws. U.S. prosecutors have told Seattle U.S. District Judge Richard Jones that they want CZ to serve twice the maximum 18-month sentence recommended under federal guidelines. Prosecutors said a stiff sentence for the man once considered the most influential in the cryptocurrency industry would send a message that "the right choice every time is to obey the law." The hearing began at 9 a.m. PDT Tuesday (0:00 a.m. Beijing time on May 1). Robert Fisher, a partner at Nixon Peabody in Boston and a former federal prosecutor, said he was surprised that prosecutors asked for a heavy sentence after CZ pleaded guilty, but suggested they may be trying to set an example because of CZ's high profile. "It's unusual to ask for a sentence that exceeds the sentencing guidelines, and they hope it will serve as a deterrent," he said. CZ's lawyers asked for probation, citing CZ's "unflinching" acceptance of responsibility and the $50 million criminal fine he has paid. They also said CZ had never committed a crime before and that no defendant in similar cases had ever been imprisoned. [Reuters]