Sam Bankman-Fried’s Parents Seek Trump Pardon for FTX Founder

Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, parents of FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried, are reportedly seeking a pardon for their son from former President Donald Trump. Bankman-Fried, once a billionaire in the crypto space, is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud.

According to Bloomberg News, the Stanford Law School professors have met with lawyers and individuals believed to have ties to Trump, pushing for clemency for their 32-year-old son. However, it remains uncertain whether an official request has been submitted to the White House.

Neither Bankman, Fried, nor the White House has commented on the matter. The move comes after Trump’s recent pardoning of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and others.

Bankman-Fried, once celebrated for his rapid rise in cryptocurrency, saw his empire collapse when FTX filed for bankruptcy in 2022, leading to fraud charges and his conviction. His case remains one of the most high-profile scandals in the crypto industry.

The attempt to secure a pardon has sparked debate, with some viewing it as a legal strategy while others criticize efforts to leverage political influence. Whether Trump will intervene in the case remains to be seen.