A Manhattan federal judge has scheduled November 9, 2026 as the trial date for Michelle Bond, wife of former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame, on charges of federal campaign finance violations. The decision by U.S. District Judge George Daniels follows his denial of Bond's motion to dismiss the indictment last week, ensuring the case will be one of the final criminal proceedings stemming from the collapse of FTX.
Charges and Allegations
Prosecutors allege that Bond and Salame orchestrated a scheme to funnel $400,000 from FTX into Bond's 2022 Republican primary campaign for New York’s 1st Congressional District. The indictment describes the payment as a sham consulting arrangement designed to hide the true source of the funds and circumvent federal contribution limits and disclosure requirements. Bond, who previously worked in digital asset advocacy, lost the primary to Nicholas LaLota.
Defense Arguments Rejected
Bond's legal team argued that prosecutors had used the threat of her indictment to pressure Salame into his own guilty plea, a claim that Judge Daniels dismissed after reviewing the record. Salame pleaded guilty to campaign finance and money transmission charges and is serving a 90-month prison sentence. He later attempted to overturn his plea after Bond was charged, but that effort failed and did not halt the case against her. Bond has pleaded not guilty.
FTX Fallout Continues
The FTX bankruptcy triggered numerous criminal and civil actions. Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted on seven felony counts in Manhattan, and his appeal was rejected on June 12, leaving a possible Supreme Court challenge or presidential pardon as his remaining options. Meanwhile, former executives Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, and Gary Wang cooperated with prosecutors and received either reduced or no prison time.
Bond's trial shifts the legal focus from exchange fraud to campaign finance abuse, testing whether FTX-linked money unlawfully entered U.S. politics. With most senior cases concluded, the November trial will likely draw attention as the FTX saga reaches its final courtroom chapter.
