Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Applies for Presidential Pardon
Sam Bankman-Fried, the FTX founder serving a 25-year prison sentence, has formally submitted a pardon application to the Justice Department, according to records. Bankman-Fried has spent months attempting to curry favor with President Trump through social media compliments and media appearances. While Trump previously stated he would not pardon the crypto executive, the move reflects a pattern of white-collar criminals seeking presidential clemency.
Sam Bankman-Fried has formally applied for a presidential pardon, according to a Justice Department database, marking an escalation in months of efforts to gain favor with President Trump. The FTX founder, sentenced to 25 years in prison, has engaged in a public campaign including compliments to Trump on social media and a jailhouse interview with Tucker Carlson. Trump previously told The New York Times he would not pardon Bankman-Fried, though the president has pardoned numerous white-collar criminals, some of whom explicitly sought his favor or made donations to his causes. The pardon effort is viewed as unlikely to succeed. Notably, FTX's investment portfolio included stakes in major companies like Anthropic, SpaceX, and Robinhood; one investment in Cursor.AI purchased for $200,000 would be worth billions today had Bankman-Fried not been convicted.
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Sam Bankman-Fried seeks Trump pardon
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