On January 3rd, it was reported that in the absence of Zhao Changpeng, He Yi became the largest shareholder within Binance, with broad control over its marketing and investment departments. Sources familiar with the board recruitment process stated that He Yi exercised her influence in the election of Binance's new independent majority shareholder board. Insiders familiar with the exchange's financial situation stated that she holds at least 10% of the shares in Binance's Cayman Islands holding company. According to sources familiar with the negotiation situation, during early settlement discussions, the Justice Department had hoped that He Yi would also leave, but it is unclear why this ultimately did not happen. A spokesperson for Binance did not comment on He Yi's role in the case, but stated that the company has acknowledged past mistakes and made improvements. The spokesperson stated that He Yi supported this change.