Sam Bankman-Fried Wants a Trump Pardon—But Will He Get It?
Just three years ago, was a rising star in politics and crypto, pouring millions into Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. Now, the disgraced FTX founder sits behind bars with a 25-year sentence, watching his once-powerful connections fade.
But he’s not giving up just yet. In a dramatic shift, Bankman-Fried is now turning to Donald Trump—his former political opposite—hoping for a last-minute lifeline.
Bankman-Fried is making efforts to get on Trump’s radar, including appearing on conservative media. His unsanctioned interview on The Tucker Carlson Show even landed him in solitary confinement.
While Carlson didn’t directly ask about a pardon, the discussion touched on Republican ideas, sparking speculation. After the interview aired, prediction platform Polymarket reported that the chances of a pardon nearly doubled.
According to The New York Times, Bankman-Fried is working with a lawyer close to Trump. His father, Joe Bankman, also wrote an opinion piece supporting Trump’s idea for a sovereign wealth fund—possibly to align with the president’s economic agenda.
His parents, Joe Bankman and Barbara Fried, are seeking legal advice from experts connected to Trump’s past campaigns. Though they haven’t reached out to Trump directly, they hope his business-like approach to pardons will work in their favor. So far, their efforts haven’t gained much traction.
Many political insiders don’t think so. One crypto lobbyist said his chances of a pardon are “zero,” adding, “Sorry, it’s Trump world… near zero.”
Still, it wouldn’t be the first time Trump has granted clemency to someone in the crypto space. He previously pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder who is widely supported in the crypto community. The difference? Ulbricht had a strong base of supporters – Bankman-Fried does not. Many in the industry blame him for FTX’s collapse and the market downturn that followed.
One crypto lobbyist told Fortune that Trump’s growing ties with the crypto industry could help Bankman-Fried’s case. However, they noted that the wider crypto community isn’t pushing for a pardon, making it unlikely.
For now, Bankman-Fried’s legal team is still trying—but without strong backing, his plea for clemency remains a long shot.
His legal team may be working overtime, but without public support, a pardon remains little more than a long shot.
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