Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has ignited speculation about his own legal fate by publicly endorsing President Donald Trump's pardon of ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández. In a post on social media platform X on Tuesday, shared via a proxy, Bankman-Fried stated, "I'm so glad Juan Orlando is free—few are more deserving than him," a remark widely seen as a veiled appeal for clemency in his own case.
Bankman-Fried was convicted in 2023 on multiple fraud and conspiracy charges for stealing billions in customer funds from the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX and is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence. His case recently went before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as he seeks a new trial, with a decision not expected until well into next year.
The comment comes amid broader efforts to secure pardons for high-profile crypto figures, including former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao. Bankman-Fried's parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, have also pushed for a pardon, but his chances are considered slim due to the severity of his crimes and his history as a major donor to the Biden campaign in 2020.
In recent months, Bankman-Fried has become more active on social media through a friend, arguing that FTX was solvent at its collapse and accusing the estates of mismanaging funds. This public maneuvering is viewed as a strategic attempt to shape narrative and potentially influence executive clemency decisions, highlighting ongoing debates about accountability in the cryptocurrency industry.
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