Trump Rules Out Pardon for Former FTX Chief
US President Donald Trump has ruled out granting a pardon to Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison over the company’s collapse.
Trump confirmed his position in an interview with The New York Times, stating that he has no plans to issue a pardon in this case or for other high-profile individuals he was asked about during the conversation. Bankman-Fried has been serving his sentence for his role in the downfall of FTX and the misuse of customer funds.
The former FTX executive was taken into custody in August 2023 after a federal judge revoked his bail ahead of the trial. In March 2024, he was convicted on seven counts related to financial fraud.
Other executives connected to FTX who chose to cooperate with prosecutors received significantly lighter sentences as part of plea agreements.
Following the verdict, media reports suggested that Bankman-Fried had attempted to secure a presidential pardon, citing his ties to Republicans and relationships with right-wing political commentators.
Although a pardon has been ruled out, Bankman-Fried still has legal options available. His defense team has filed an appeal, which is currently under review by a federal appeals court. If the appeal is rejected, his final option would be to petition the Supreme Court of the United States.
