BlockBeats news, January 9th, US President Trump clearly stated in an interview with The New York Times that he would not consider pardoning FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). SBF was convicted in 2023 on multiple charges including misappropriation of client funds and financial fraud, making it one of the most iconic criminal cases in crypto industry history.
During the interview, when asked by reporters about the possibility of presidential pardons for several high-profile inmates, SBF was listed among them but was explicitly excluded. Trump indicated that he had no intention of exercising pardon authority for individuals including SBF.
The report also revealed that musician Sean Combs (Diddy) had written to Trump requesting a pardon but was similarly rejected. In contrast, Trump has indeed exercised pardon authority in recent years for some political allies or individuals who support his narrative of “judicial politicization,” but SBF is not within his consideration.
Analysis points out that Trump’s statement implies: in the foreseeable future, the possibility of SBF being released early through a presidential pardon is extremely low. His criminal liability and civil accountability processes will continue, and discussions on compliance and regulation in the crypto industry will also continue to have a profound impact.
