Bankman‑Fried Seeks Trump Pardon While Serving 25‑Year Sentence

Mon Jun 15 2026 08:47:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former cryptocurrency magnate files for a pardon after 25 years in prison, raising questions about Trump’s past pardons and future decisions.

Sam Bankman‑Fried, convicted of fraud related to FTX, has applied for a pardon from former President Donald Trump. The request is made after he has begun serving a 25‑year sentence and while he continues to appeal his convictions. Trump’s record includes pardons for a range of high‑profile defendants, though he publicly rejected a pardon earlier this year. Bankman‑Fried’s plea comes as one of over 20,000 requests before the DOJ’s Pardon Attorney, sparking debate over the limits of presidential clemency.

Bankman‑Fried Seeks Trump Pardon While Serving 25‑Year Sentence

Former cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman‑Fried, who built the now‑collapsed platform FTX into a global digital‑currency hub, has filed a pardon application with the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The request is “after completion of sentence” – a form that would erase his convictions once he has served the full 25‑year term it carries.

Bankman‑Fried was convicted on multiple federal fraud counts in 2024 when a judge deemed his handling of customer funds and his use of the exchanges’ capital to be unlawful. He is now serving that sentence in a federal facility.

Despite calling a trial and hurling accusations of innocence, Bankman‑Fried has not requested a commutation, which would shorten the sentence. Instead, he remains in jail while his appeal remains on the docket.

The pardon application arrives as part of more than 20,000 requests presented to the Department of Justice’s Pardon Attorney. It is one of several high‑profile requests that have drawn attention to the limits and reach of presidential clemency.

Former President Trump, who issued pardons to hundreds of people for a variety of crimes during his final months in office, previously denied the possibility of pardoning Bankman‑Fried. In an interview earlier this year, he said he would not grant such an exemption.

An official from the White House declined to comment on the application, and a lawyer for Bankman‑Fried did not respond to inquiries. The legal outcome remains uncertain.