SBF Takes His Pardon Campaign to the White House
Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has officially submitted a presidential clemency application through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Pardon Attorney’s Office, marking the latest step in his efforts to overturn his criminal conviction and secure an early release from prison.
The filing follows months of public attempts by Bankman-Fried to gain favor with President Donald Trump, despite previous statements from the administration indicating that a pardon remains highly unlikely.
The White House reiterated over the weekend that there are currently no plans to grant clemency, making the request a long-shot despite SBF’s increasingly public campaign.
From Social Media Posts to a Formal Clemency Request
The formal application comes after Bankman-Fried spent months publicly praising Trump's economic and crypto policies while serving his sentence.
Through posts on X (formerly Twitter) and public interviews, the former billionaire has voiced support for deregulation, encouraged crypto companies to return to the United States, and repeatedly aligned himself with the administration's digital asset agenda.
During a recent prison interview with FOX Business, Bankman-Fried openly admitted he hopes to receive presidential clemency.
"Absolutely" he responded when asked whether he wanted a pardon, adding that "it would ultimately be up to the president."
However, he declined to comment on whether family members or outside supporters have been lobbying the administration on his behalf.
I spoke to Sam Bankman-Fried in an exclusive interview from prison
— Susan Li (@SusanLiTV) June 8, 2026
He said he would "absolutely" want a pardon from Trump
But the White House has said they have no intentions of granting him one 👇@SBF still maintains that he did not commit fraud & appealing his conviction… pic.twitter.com/UuvAb4esri
I spoke to Sam Bankman-Fried in an exclusive interview from prison
— Susan Li (@SusanLiTV) June 8, 2026
He said he would "absolutely" want a pardon from Trump
But the White House has said they have no intentions of granting him one 👇@SBF still maintains that he did not commit fraud & appealing his conviction… pic.twitter.com/UuvAb4esri
Bankman-Fried Continues to Deny Fraud Allegations
Despite being convicted on seven federal felony charges, Bankman-Fried continues to insist he committed no wrongdoing.
He argued that the ongoing bankruptcy process has already returned approximately 170% of customer deposits, claiming that users have ultimately been made whole despite the collapse of FTX.
Federal prosecutors and the jury reached a very different conclusion. Following one of the largest financial fraud trials in crypto history, Bankman-Fried was convicted in November 2023 on multiple counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. In March 2024, Judge Lewis Kaplan sentenced him to 25 years in federal prison.
Court findings estimated that FTX customers lost roughly $8 billion, while investors and lenders collectively lost billions more through Alameda Research and affiliated entities.
Trump Has Pardoned Crypto Figures Before-But Not SBF
Since returning to office, President Trump has granted clemency to several high-profile figures connected to the cryptocurrency industry.
Among the most notable were Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who received a pardon in early 2025, and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) later that year.
However, Trump previously indicated that Bankman-Fried would not receive similar treatment. In comments made earlier this year, the president grouped SBF among individuals he had no intention of pardoning, alongside several other controversial public figures.
That position appears unchanged despite the latest formal application.
Appeals Continue as Prediction Markets Remain Skeptical
The pardon request is only one part of Bankman-Fried’s broader legal strategy.
His attorneys continue pursuing an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, seeking to overturn his conviction. If unsuccessful, the case could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Earlier this year, his legal team also withdrew a separate motion requesting a new trial, leaving open the possibility of refiling once the appeal process concludes.
Meanwhile, crypto prediction platform Polymarket currently places only a 6% probability on Bankman-Fried leaving prison before the end of 2026, reflecting widespread skepticism that either the courts or the White House will intervene.
For now, the former crypto executive remains behind bars, with his legal future depending far more on ongoing appeals than on a presidential pardon that Washington has already indicated is unlikely to materialize.
