"I don't think I'm a criminal": Sam Bankman-Fried turns to GOP for presidential pardon
Sam Bankman-Fried is serving 25 years behind bars and now shares a cell with Diddy. He was interviewed in Tucker Carlson's Podcast.
Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried gave an interview from prison in which he spoke about his life behind bars and his change of political stance. Despite his conviction for fraud and conspiracy, he denies any wrongdoing and is open to the possibility of a presidential pardon. He claimed that before his arrest, he was becoming closer to the Republican Party and that played a role in his sentencing.
Sam Bankman-Fried remains a controversial figure in the cryptocurrency industry. He has been imprisoned for almost two years at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Two weeks ago, Bankman-Fied was in another interview with The New York Sun, where he offered his two cents on FTX and U.S. politics. However, the public have not responded well to his attempts of humanizing himself.
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Sam Bankman-Fried interviewed by Tucker Carlson
From his prison cell in Brooklyn, he gave an interview to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. During the conversation, Bankman-Fried spoke about his life in prison, his stance on crypto regulation, and his apparent affinity with former President Donald Trump.
The FTX case and the conviction of its former director have been the subject of intense debate in the financial community. The fall of the platform in November 2022 unleashed a crisis of confidence in the sector and led to criminal sanctions against several of its main executives.
The former CEO seems to be attempting a media rehabilitation tour, and, despite having been sentenced to 25 years in prison for embezzlement of client funds, the businessman has maintained his innocence.
SBF claims innocence, hints at becoming Republican
During the interview, Bankman-Fried stated that, despite being known for his donations to the Democratic Party, he maintained better relations with Republicans. This comment has been interpreted by some analysts as an attempt to align himself with the conservative wing.
Bankman-Fried also assured that he never asked U.S. legislators for help when he faced charges in 2022 because “he did not want to do something inappropriate.” Still, court documents have shown that his donations to politicians were significant and strategic in both parties. He donated over $40 million to 196 members of Congress, including top Republicans and Democrats. “I don't think he was a criminal,” Bankman-Fried said in a segment of the interview, when talking about the charges against him and the acts committed.
Can President Trump pardon SBF?
Following Trump's victory in the November 2024 election, some reports have noted that Bankman-Fried's parents have explored the possibility of obtaining a presidential pardon for their son. This strategy is not unprecedented in American politics. In January, for example, Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the operator of Silk Road.
However, the relationship between Trump and the crypto sector has been ambivalent, which could affect any decision in that regard. For now, Sam Bankman-Fried continues to serve his sentence, while the cryptocurrency ecosystem tries to recover from one of the most shocking frauds in the history of the sector.