Sam Bankman-Fried's Parents Lobby Trump for Pardon

Sam Bankman-Fried's Parents Seek Trump Pardon for Son

Sam Bankman-Fried's parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, are reportedly exploring avenues to secure a presidential pardon for their son from President Donald Trump. According to Bloomberg News, they have been in discussions with lawyers and individuals within Trump's orbit in recent weeks, although it is unclear if they have made direct outreach to the White House. SBF was sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud related to the collapse of FTX.

Trump has been known for his swift use of the presidential pardon, including the recent commutation of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht's life sentence. This has sparked a surge in requests from high-profile white-collar criminals. Jeffrey Grant, a legal adviser for white-collar defendants, noted that he has received around 100 pardons-related inquiries. However, SBF does not currently enjoy the widespread support that Ulbricht had, and his 25-year sentence has been criticized as excessively harsh, particularly since many FTX customers have recovered most of their lost funds. Another former FTX executive, Ryan Salame, who received a seven-year sentence, has also expressed interest in a presidential pardon.

Sam Mangel, a white-collar prison consultant who has previously worked on clemency requests for Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, said he handles multiple cases. He also shared that he has received informal guidance that cases related to sex crimes, true crimes of violence, and illegal immigration cases will not be considered.