Back to Devoured - June 09, 2026
DEVOURED
Convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried files formal request for Trump pardon

Convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried files formal request for Trump pardon

Tech CNBC
Convicted FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried has filed a formal request for a presidential pardon with the U.S. Department of Justice.
What: Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year federal prison sentence for orchestrating a massive fraud scheme at FTX and Alameda Research. Despite the filing, President Donald Trump previously stated in January that he has 'no intention of pardoning' him.
Why it matters: The filing tests the limits of the presidential pardon power against high-profile white-collar financial crimes, though the current political stance from the White House makes a successful outcome unlikely.
Original article
  • Sam Bankman-Fried has formally submitted a request for a presidential pardon, according to information listed on the U.S. Department of Justice website.
  • The co-founder of the now defunct FTX crypto exchange is currently serving a 25-year federal prison sentence after he was found guilty of orchestrating a massive fraud scheme that misused billions of dollars in customer funds.

Sam Bankman-Fried has formally submitted a request for a presidential pardon to President Donald Trump, according to information listed on the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Pardon Attorney website.

The co-founder of the now defunct FTX crypto exchange is currently serving a 25-year federal prison sentence after he was found guilty of orchestrating a massive fraud scheme that misused billions of dollars in customer funds at FTX and its affiliated trading firm, Alameda Research.

The exact date of the filing isn't clear but DOJ records indicate the request for "pardon after completion of sentence" was submitted in 2026 and is pending.

Trump said in a January interview with The New York Times that he has "no intention of pardoning" several high-profile people including Bankman-Fried.

Trump has issued more than 1,400 pardons and commutations so far in his second term, according to the Department of Justice, including more than 1,200 Jan. 6-related cases. During his first term, he granted 238 pardons and commutations in total.

The White House declined to comment for this story.

Explore all 42 articles in today's digest

Fresh dev news, AI-digested daily. Never miss a trend at devoured.fyi