Sam Bankman-Fried Seeks New Trial as Legal Challenges Continue After FTX Collapse

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is pursuing a new trial as his legal battle continues in U.S. federal court. A recent request filed in a New York court by his mother, Stanford law professor Barbara Fried, argues that new evidence warrants a retrial despite Bankman-Fried’s conviction and 25-year prison sentence.

The motion, first reported by Inner City Press, was submitted as a pro se filing, meaning Bankman-Fried is formally representing himself. The 35-page document claims that the absence of key testimony during the original proceedings undermined the fairness of the trial. Among the figures cited is former FTX executive Ryan Salame, who faced separate federal charges and was not called to testify in Bankman-Fried’s case.

Salame, who was also convicted, previously asserted that he had reached an agreement with prosecutors that should have shielded his wife, Michelle Bond, from legal consequences. Bond was later charged in connection with alleged illegal campaign finance activities during her congressional run, adding another layer of controversy to the broader FTX fallout.

Since his conviction, Bankman-Fried has repeatedly challenged the outcome of his trial, arguing that he was denied due process. Earlier appeals raised questions about the solvency of FTX at the time of its collapse, with Bankman-Fried maintaining through social media posts on X that the company was not actually bankrupt. However, appellate judges expressed skepticism in November, emphasizing that solvency was not central to the jury’s decision.

Circuit Judge Maria Araújo Kahn previously noted that the government’s case focused on misrepresentation and misuse of customer funds. Prosecutors argued, and jurors agreed, that Bankman-Fried falsely assured investors their money was safe while allegedly diverting it for other purposes.

Adding to his legal setbacks, President Donald Trump recently stated he would not consider granting clemency to the former crypto executive. Despite this, Bankman-Fried continues to publicly campaign for himself online, framing his conviction as the result of political “lawfare” under the Biden administration.

As the FTX case remains one of the most significant scandals in crypto history, the outcome of this latest motion could shape the next chapter in Sam Bankman-Fried’s ongoing legal saga.