TLDR
- Sam Bankman-Fried said he absolutely wants a presidential pardon while speaking from federal prison.
- The former FTX founder is serving 25 years after fraud and conspiracy convictions.
- His pardon request has been filed with the Justice Department’s Pardon Attorney Office.
- Bankman-Fried still denies stealing customer funds despite the jury’s 2023 criminal verdict.
- He cited customer repayments while seeking political attention for possible White House clemency.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the convicted co-founder of FTX, has said from federal prison that he “absolutely” wants a presidential pardon as he continues serving a 25-year sentence tied to the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange. His comments came during a prison interview with Fox Business, where he acknowledged that any decision on clemency would rest with President Donald Trump.
Bankman-Fried Seeks Executive Relief
The 34-year-old has also submitted a formal application to the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, according to the office’s website. The request was listed as a pardon after completion of sentence, even as he remains incarcerated following his conviction.
Bankman-Fried was convicted in 2023 on wire fraud and conspiracy charges after prosecutors accused him of misusing customer money at FTX. In March 2024, he received a 25-year prison sentence in one of the most closely watched white-collar criminal cases involving cryptocurrency.
During the interview, correspondent Susan Li asked whether he wanted a pardon from the White House. Bankman-Fried replied that he did, while declining to say whether his family or others were lobbying the administration on his behalf.
FTX Founder Disputes Fraud Claims
Bankman-Fried continued to reject the central accusation that he stole customer funds, despite the jury’s verdict and the findings presented during the criminal case. He said FTX customers have now been repaid about 170% of their deposits, citing recoveries tied partly to improved cryptocurrency market values.
The court previously found that FTX customers lost about $8 billion when the exchange collapsed in November 2022. It also found that equity investors lost roughly $1.7 billion, while lenders to Alameda Research lost about $1.3 billion.
His defense of the company’s financial condition has become part of his public effort to challenge the sentence and seek relief. Prosecutors, however, argued during the case that customer assets were improperly used to support Alameda Research and other expenses.
Pardon Push Reaches Political Stage
Bankman-Fried has used interviews and social media activity to present his case to a broader political audience. His comments come as Trump’s use of clemency has drawn attention for its treatment of white-collar defendants during his second term.
The former FTX chief also discussed his interest in technology and investing, including artificial intelligence and SpaceX. He said he regretted being unable to participate in the artificial intelligence boom while incarcerated.
He also praised Elon Musk’s record in building companies and said SpaceX appeared to have large potential. His remarks showed an effort to revisit his former role as a technology investor while arguing for presidential relief from his prison sentence.
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