From a federal prison, convicted former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has reignited controversy by posting a lengthy thread on X, declaring his long-standing support for the Republican Party and blaming the Biden administration's regulators for his prosecution and 25-year prison sentence. The posts, dated January 30, 2026, represent a stark rebranding effort from the once-liberal donor.
Bankman-Fried claims he secretly donated "tens of millions" to Republican causes in 2022, while publicly being perceived as a Democratic supporter. He cited a $10 million donation to a political group aligned with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, made during a fundraising dinner ahead of the midterm elections. He stated his Republican donations were kept "dark" to avoid backlash from "super liberal" journalists.
The former billionaire directly attributed his legal downfall to the Biden administration, calling the SEC and DOJ "unfair and aggressive" on crypto. He alleged he was arrested weeks before a key crypto bill was set for a vote and the night before he was to testify before Congress, claiming, "Biden bungled crypto." He specifically criticized the appointment of Gary Gensler as SEC Chair.
Bankman-Fried's prison writings, revealed in court filings, show a calculated strategy to "rebrand his image," including plans to go on Tucker Carlson's show and "come out as a republican." He also expressed support for former President Donald Trump, writing that Trump was "right for crypto," though Trump has stated he does not plan to pardon SBF.
