Bankman-Fried makes the pardon ask
Sam Bankman-Fried is back before Washington with a new ask and the same old confidence. The former FTX chief has formally applied to the Justice Department’s Pardon Attorney Office for a pardon after completion of sentence, according to Bloomberg. That filing comes more than two years after his conviction in the collapse of his cryptocurrency empire, a case prosecutors called one of the biggest financial frauds in American history. He is serving a 25-year sentence tied to the fraud that cost lenders, customers, and investors $10 billion. It is a remarkable display of nerve, though in the world of white-collar crime, nerve often travels first class.
The political weather is not exactly favorable
Bankman-Fried has been trying to work the angles through social media and interviews with conservative outlets, apparently hoping that enough noise will turn into mercy. Bloomberg reported that President Donald Trump told the New York Times in January that he had no plans to pardon him. The White House and the Justice Department both declined to comment on the latest filing. That is usually government speak for “do not hold your breath.” Still, the application is real, and the request lands in a second Trump term that has already seen clemency used for dozens of white-collar defendants. Washington loves to say it runs on rules, then quietly hands out exceptions like coffee stirrers.
From prison, he still says he did nothing criminal
In a Fox Business interview, Bankman-Fried said he “absolutely” wants a presidential pardon and would leave the final decision to the president. He also kept insisting he did nothing criminal, even while serving the sentence that followed his conviction. When asked whether family members are lobbying the administration on his behalf, he would not say. That leaves the usual fog in place, where public relations works overtime and facts refuse to cooperate. For now, the record is simple enough: convicted, sentenced, and still asking for a pass.
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW.
Leave a Comment