Sam Bankman-Fried’s Parents Lobby Trump for Presidential Pardon

The disgraced FTX founder’s parents are reportedly engaging with Trump allies to seek clemency for their son, who is serving a 25-year sentence for fraud.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, is serving a 25-year prison sentence after being convicted of fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering in connection with the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange in 2022.
His parents, Stanford Law professors Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, have reportedly been meeting with lawyers and individuals connected to Donald Trump’s inner circle to explore the possibility of a presidential pardon.
Bankman-Fried has argued that his sentence is excessively harsh, emphasizing that most FTX customers have recovered their financial losses following the company’s collapse.
The effort to secure clemency comes as Trump has issued numerous pardons during his presidency, including for controversial figures like Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, though Bankman-Fried lacks widespread public support for a similar appeal.
FTX has also filed a civil lawsuit against Bankman-Fried’s parents, accusing them of misappropriating funds and benefiting financially from their involvement with the company.