Sam Bankman-Fried Asks Trump for Pardon, Trump Says No

Sam Bankman-Fried has officially petitioned President Donald Trump for a presidential pardon, according to filings posted on the US Department of Justice Office of the Pardon Attorney website. The request, categorized as a “pardon after completion of sentence,” was submitted in 2026 and remains in a pending status. Bankman-Fried, now 34, is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution.

The former FTX founder has been incarcerated since his conviction for orchestrating one of the largest financial frauds in modern history. His legal team argued that the sentence was excessive and that he has shown genuine remorse and cooperation with authorities. The pardon request, however, appears to face long odds. Trump has publicly stated he has no intention of granting clemency, telling reporters that Bankman-Fried “stole billions from hardworking people” and that “no pardon is coming.”

The timing of the request is notable. Trump, who has been back in the White House since January 2025, has used his pardon power sparingly, focusing primarily on individuals he views as political allies or victims of a biased justice system. Bankman-Fried does not fit that profile. His case remains a cautionary tale about corporate hubris and regulatory failure, and any move to shorten his sentence would likely provoke bipartisan backlash.

For now, the filing sits in the system, a formality that few expect to yield results. Bankman-Fried’s best hope may rest not with the White House but with the courts, where an appeal of his conviction and sentence continues to wind through the federal judiciary.