Fate of Crypto Tycoon Now Rests in Donald Trump's Hands

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, has officially submitted a pardon request to United States President Donald Trump as he serves his current prison sentence. According to data listed on the website of the Office of the Pardon Attorney under the US Department of Justice, the petition has been filed and is currently pending a decision. Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year federal prison sentence after being found guilty in a massive fraud case involving the misappropriation of billions of dollars in customer funds from FTX and its affiliated company, Alameda Research. Department of Justice records show that a petition for a “pardon after completion of sentence” was filed in 2026 and is still awaiting a decision. The petition emerged even though Trump had previously signalled he would not grant a pardon to Bankman-Fried. In an interview with The New York Times in January, Trump said he did not intend to pardon a number of high-profile figures, including the founder of FTX. Throughout his second term, Trump has issued more than 1,400 pardons and commutations, according to US Department of Justice data. Of that number, more than 1,200 were related to cases connected with the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021. By comparison, during his first term Trump granted a total of 238 pardons and commutations. The White House has not yet commented on the petition submitted by Bankman-Fried.