Sam Bankman-Fried, the former founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has formally requested a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. Multiple outlets report that the filing is listed through the US Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, with the category “pardon after completion of sentence,” and that it is pending. Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence following his 2024 conviction for fraud-related offenses connected to the November 2022 collapse of FTX.
The sources describe the same underlying case: prosecutors and the court found that customer funds were misappropriated, leading to major losses for FTX customers and other stakeholders. While Bankman-Fried’s representatives and family may seek clemency through channels connected to the Trump administration, the reporting centers on his formal application rather than on any specific lobbying activity. One outlet also notes that Trump previously said he had no intention of granting a pardon. Overall, the articles agree that the request has been made but that no decision has been announced.
