Sam Bankman-Fried Parents Seek Presidential Pardon

Parents Of Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried Seek Presidential Pardon For Him – Bloomberg

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Updated: 31 January 2025

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The parents of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison last year for his role in the exchange’s collapse, are reportedly exploring the possibility of obtaining a presidential pardon for their son.

In a Jan. 30 report, Bloomberg cited anonymous sources who said that Bankman-Fried’s parents, Stanford Law professors Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, have already met with people close to the Donald Trump administration to determine whether clemency is possible.

White-Collar Defendants Submit Clemency Requests To Trump Administration

President Trump is seen as a powerful ally for the digital asset industry. While that might not be enough to absolve Bankman-Fried of his sentence, there is growing hope among white-collar defendants that Trump is open to hearing their cases.

Before considering Sam Bankman-Fried for a pardon, how about Edward Snowden? pic.twitter.com/DcvEc46Btl

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) January 30, 2025

According to white-collar prison consultant Sam Mangel, several defendants have submitted clemency requests to the Trump administration since he re-entered the White House on Jan. 20.

Circumstances Around Ross Ulbricht Pardon Different To Sam Bankman-Fried Case

Clemency hopes among white-collar defendants have risen after Trump delivered on his promise to pardon Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht. The darknet marketplace developer served 11 years of his double life sentence.

However, according to Lucien Bourdon, a Bitcoin analyst at Trezor, Ulbricht’s case was seen as “emblematic of perceived state overreach.” Another factor that led to Ulbricht’s clemency was the strong support he had from the crypto community and libertarian movement, who both advocated for his release.

Meanwhile, it seems Bankman-Fried does not have the same level of support. He has, however, previously made the case that his sentence was “draconian,” arguing that FTX customers have largely recovered a large portion of the money that was initially lost with the centralized exchange’s collapse.