Crypto Mogul Bankman-fried Appeals to Trump for Pardon

WHO:

CNN - Sam Bankman-Fried, 34, co-founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX.

CNN - Judge Lewis Kaplan, who sentenced Bankman-Fried.

CNN - The Justice Department (DOJ).

CNN - Trump administration.

WHAT:

CNN - Bankman-Fried officially asked President Trump for a pardon.

CNN - Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2024.

CNN - Bankman-Fried's application is for a “pardon after completion of sentence.”

CNN - Bankman-Fried was convicted of multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy, including wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

CNN - Bankman-Fried was ordered to forfeit more than $11 billion in assets and proceeds tied to the fraud.

NY Post - Bankman-Fried applied for a presidential pardon after bankrolling Democrats and losing a $10 billion fraud case.

Bitcoinist - Bankman-Fried filed a request for a presidential pardon from President Trump.

WHERE:

CNN - The application was submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney within the US Department of Justice.

WHEN:

CNN - Bankman-Fried submitted his pardon request sometime in 2026, though the exact date is not publicly listed.

CNN - Bankman-Fried was sentenced in 2024.

WHY:

CNN - Bankman-Fried seeks a pardon to restore certain civil liberties, such as the right to vote or to serve on a jury, after serving his prison sentence.

CNN - Bankman-Fried has posted support for the Trump administration on social media while in prison.

HOW:

CNN - The pardon would lift barriers to licensing, employment, housing, or education if granted.

(UPDATED June 8, 2026 19:41 UTC)

Sam Bankman-Fried, the co-founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has officially requested a pardon from President Trump after being sentenced to 25 years in prison for multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy in 2024. His application, submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney within the Justice Department, seeks a pardon after the completion of his sentence to restore certain civil liberties, including the right to vote and serve on a jury. Bankman-Fried, who has publicly supported the Trump administration while incarcerated, was ordered to forfeit more than $11 billion in assets tied to his fraudulent activities.