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

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former co-founder of the now-defunct FTX cryptocurrency exchange, has officially sought a presidential pardon, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney. Currently, he is serving a lengthy 25-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted for his role in a significant fraud scheme that misappropriated billions in customer funds through both FTX and its associated trading firm, Alameda Research. While the specific date of his pardon request remains undisclosed, records from the DOJ confirm that the application for a 'pardon after completion of sentence' was filed in 2026 and is currently under review. Notably, former President Trump has previously stated, in a January interview with the New York Times, that he does not plan to pardon Bankman-Fried, among other high-profile individuals. Throughout his presidency, Trump has granted a total of 147 pardons and commutations in his second term, which includes cases related to the January 6 events. During his first term, he issued 238 pardons and commutations. As of now, neither the White House nor the Justice Department has provided any comments regarding Bankman-Fried's request.