PS: The CTO is not the Compliance officer.
So why did he give wrong advice to the OP?
Why did you continue to accept deposits from him even though you changed your ToS and then when he questioned it your CTO overstepped the mark and not only said ID was not required but also made it clear that some people from the company will try hard to make life difficult but nevertheless ID was not required?
Yes, if he/she doesn't trust us, we strongly suggest him/her to report it to the authorities in order to solve once forever this issue.
More than this we cannot do anything......
He first traded with you 6 years ago. If you treat your oldest customers in this way how can anybody take your exchange or business seriously? You could easily return his crypto to him and as long as there is no FIAT involved then there is no need for him to send ID.
I am sure the OP is doing the right thing by not sending his ID. The reason is because it seems quite clear you will not release his funds and the primary reason is simply because you want to make things more difficult after he came here asking for help. It brought bad PR for your exchange.
There is no limitation on the types of assets that can form the basis of a money laundering offence, and there is no monetary threshold to prosecution. However, where the goods laundered have a limited value, or they derive from a less serious predicate offence (punished with imprisonment for less than five years), mitigating circumstances could apply, which can decrease the amount of the effective punishment.
If somebody does not trade and just deposits, then wants his fund back in the same format he sent them, then there is no need for ID verification.
Do you expect someone to send you his ID after you accept his deposits when you already told him he does not need to send ID.
This is sounding more and more like selective scamming. I am 100% in agreement for the OP to never send you ID.
Please return his crypto in the same format (XRP, BTC etc) that he sent it to you therefore ID verification can be bypassed.
You would destroy your reputation and an old exchange by selective scamming a 6 year old loyal customer just for 35,000 EURO?