The downfall of Sam Bankman-Fried, the former head of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has led him to a new and perhaps unexpected strategy: seeking a pardon from Donald Trump.
Bankman-Fried’s conviction on seven counts of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy has led him to try to rehabilitate his image. In 2022, while awaiting trial, he came up with “random probably bad ideas that aren’t vetted,” as documented in a court filing. Those ideas included a media blitz, where he would appear on TV and present himself as a Republican.
To this end, Bankman-Fried, now in prison, gave a 43-minute interview to Tucker Carlson. The unauthorized call resulted in him being placed in solitary confinement, according to the New York Times.
Bankman-Fried’s interview with Carlson is part of his reported plan. Carlson asked Bankman-Fried why the Democrats seemingly left him to his fate. Bankman-Fried’s response: He had donated to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, but he was “shocked” by Biden’s actions in office and increased his donations to Republicans. He implied this shift led to Democrats allowing his prosecution.
Reports indicate Bankman-Fried’s and his family are making a calculated play for Trump’s sympathy. Trump has pardoned other controversial figures, such as Ross Ulbricht, the operator of the Silk Road. Some believe that Trump’s interest in discrediting the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted Bankman-Fried, and Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw Bankman-Fried’s trial and the E. Jean Carroll defamation case against Trump, could potentially pave the way to a pardon.
Another factor could stem from Trump’s desire to question the legitimacy of Bankman-Fried’s case. Trump’s actions align with efforts to weaken the work of Biden’s administration.
However, there’s little in the way of a good-faith justification for a pardon. His crimes were clear and the convictions justified his imprisonment.
Ultimately, Bankman-Fried appears to be banking on the fact that the man who could pardon him has shown a propensity to go against the existing political order.
