Sam Bankman-Fried Praises Trump’s Pardon, Seeks His Own Clemency

Sam Bankman-Fried, serving 25 years for FTX fraud, praised Trump’s pardon of Juan Orlando Hernández and is seeking clemency himself, though experts see his chances as slim.

Sam Bankman-Fried, currently serving a 25-year sentence for fraud and conspiracy related to the collapse of FTX, has publicly praised Donald Trump’s pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, calling him “more deserving than anyone.” Bankman-Fried’s comments, shared via social media from prison, are widely seen as a strategic move to draw parallels between his own case and other high-profile pardons, as he seeks clemency from Trump. His parents are reportedly lobbying for his pardon, despite skepticism from legal experts and the public due to the scale of FTX’s collapse and his significant donations to the Biden campaign. Bankman-Fried maintains that FTX was solvent at the time of bankruptcy and blames estate managers for mishandling funds. His legal team is appealing his conviction, but a decision is not expected soon. The push for clemency comes amid Trump’s recent pardons of other crypto figures, though Bankman-Fried’s chances remain slim.