Jailed Crypto Mogul Sam Bankman-Fried Seeks Pardon from Trump

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former titan of the cryptocurrency world, is making waves again, but this time from behind bars. He’s currently serving a hefty 25-year sentence for fraud, stemming from multiple federal charges related to his infamous crypto exchange, FTX, and its sister company, Alameda Research. Just two years into his sentence, the 34-year-old ex-billionaire has submitted a pardon application to President Donald Trump, according to online records. If granted, this pardon would mean that Bankman-Fried’s convictions would be wiped clean under the law.

But here’s the kicker: a representative from the White House has already declined to comment on this application. And, to add to the drama, Bankman-Fried’s lawyer didn’t respond when asked for comments. Now, a “pardon after completion of sentence” would essentially mean that all those fraud counts he was convicted of would be forgiven after he completes his time in prison. It’s important to note, though, that he hasn’t asked for a commutation, which would shorten his current sentence. Instead, he’s been busy trying to appeal his conviction, all while insisting he’s innocent. Sounds like a plot from a movie, right?

Bankman-Fried was once the face of crypto; his exchange FTX was a go-to for millions of users wanting to dive into the digital currency world. But everything came crashing down in 2022 when accusations surfaced that he misused customer funds for personal investments and to settle debts. Now, his pardon application is just one among over 20,000 requests for either pardons or commutations that the Department of Justice has received.

During Trump’s presidency, he granted several pardons, including to those involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, former staff members, and even the leader of Binance, another crypto platform. However, when asked earlier this year if he would consider pardoning Bankman-Fried, Trump was pretty clear that he wouldn’t. So, what’s next for this controversial figure? While his fate hangs in the balance, we’ll have to keep an eye on how this saga unfolds. Will Trump change his mind? Will Bankman-Fried’s appeal succeed? Only time will tell…

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber