Jailed crypto founder Sam Bankman-Fried seeks Trump pardon

The former leader of crypto platform FTX, currently serving a 25-year sentence, on Monday officially applied to be pardoned. Jailed crypto founder Sam Bankman-Fried seeking Trump pardon Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced two years ago to 25 years in jail A close-up shot of Sam Bankman-Fried as he exits a car and heads into a courtroom wearing a dark blue suit jackets, white shirt and necktie. Jailed crypto founder Sam Bankman-Fried seeks Trump pardon Sam Bankman-Fried, the one-time giant in cryptocurrencies currently in prison for fraud, has applied for a pardon from President Donald Trump. Bankman-Fried was given a 25-year sentence after he was convicted of multiple federal charges related to FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange that he founded and led, and its related company Alameda Research. Just two years into that sentence, the 34-year-old former billionaire has now filed an application for pardon after completion of sentence to the Department of Justice, according to online records. Should Bankman-Fried ultimately receive a pardon, his crimes would essentially be forgiven under the law. A representative of the White House declined to comment. A lawyer for Bankman-Fried did not reply to a request for comment. A "pardon after completion of sentence" would mean that Bankman-Fried's conviction on various counts of fraud would be forgiven after he serves his jail sentence. He has not asked for a commutation, which is a shortening of a criminal sentence being served. However, he is currently attempting to appeal against his sentence, and he has long maintained he is innocent. Bankman-Fried became a famous face of crypto, a form of currency that only exists in digital form, as FTX became a popular crypto exchange used by millions of people. The firm collapsed in 2022 amid claims that Bankman-Fried had been using deposited funds as his own, including to make personal investments and pay debts. His application for a pardon appears alongside more than 20,000 requests for either pardon or commutations, according to records of the Office of the Pardon Attorney for the justice department. Trump has issued a number of pardons during his second term in office, including for hundreds of people who participated in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol Building, former members of his staff accused of crimes, the founder of a dark web marketplace where drugs were sold, and even the leader of another crypto platform, Binance. Trump has issued a number of pardons during his second term in office, including for hundreds of people who participated in the 6 January 2021 attack where drugs were sold, and even the leader of another Yet, Trump was asked earlier this year if he would pardon Bankman-Fried. He indicated at the time that he would not. if he would pardon Bankman-Fried. He indicated at the time that he would not. The Knicks' stunning winning streak has energised New York as the team prepares for the third game of the NBA Finals at home. Cut through the spin with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's take - in your inbox every Wednesday. The city is currently heightening security measures before President Trump visits on Monday to watch the NBA finals. Iran launched about 30 missiles at Israel following a strike in Lebanon, while Israel carried out two waves of air strikes in Iran. No one was harmed in the incident, which saw motorists treated to an early Fourth of July show. A UFC fight on the White House lawn is among a range of events planned to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding. During the interview, the president was repeatedly challenged on several points by the show's presenter Kristen Welker. The US defence secretary was speaking in Normandy, 82 years after allied forces launched their operation to liberate Nazi-occupied north-western Europe.