American President Donald Trump does not intend to pardon Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). The U.S. president told The New York Times reporters in a two-hour interview.
A reporter presented Trump with a list of renowned inmates. The names included Venezuela’s former leader, Nicolás Maduro, music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the ex-CEO of FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried.
Trump was asked if pardons were on the table, but the answer was clear. The president has no intention to pardon Bankman-Fried and the other named inmates.
Trump’s crypto pardons stop short of Bankman-Fried
A presidential pardon for Bankman-Fried seems unlikely. He was one of the largest donors to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. At the time, Bankman-Fried donated $5.2 million to Trump’s opponent, supporting the Democratic Party.
Over the 12 months, Trump has issued pardons to several prominent figures in the crypto space. Those pardoned include Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.
Two years ago, Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud and conspiracy due to the FTX collapse. At the moment, SBF is serving a 25-year prison term and is appealing the ruling.
Caroline Ellison to be free from federal custody in 11 days
Caroline Ellison will leave federal custody on January 21. The ex-chief of Alameda Research has been in community confinement since October. She was previously held at a federal prison in Connecticut.
In December of 2022, Ellison pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges connected to the collapse of FTX. She testified against Bankman-Fried during his trial for fraud the year after.
The ex-girlfriend of Bankman-Fried was sentenced to two years in prison. At the time, she was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan to forfeit $11 billion. Ellison was imprisoned back in November 2024.
Due to her early release date, Ellison will serve a short prison term of around one year and two months. Her early release is likely due to good behavior and helping investigators.
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