Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) is making waves from behind bars again. In a surprising pivot, the convicted founder has officially withdrawn his motion for a new trial, though he isn’t backing down from his fight against the legal system. Despite dropping the request for a re-do, SBF is doubling down on his demand for a new judge to oversee his case, citing claims of “extreme prejudice.”
Currently serving a 25-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, California, SBF’s legal strategy has become increasingly complex. This latest development follows a period of friction between Bankman-Fried and the court over whether he was receiving unauthorized legal help while filing documents pro se (on his own behalf).
SBF Claims Authorship of Prison Filings Amid Court Scrutiny
The withdrawal comes after Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered Bankman-Fried to clarify if he had help drafting his legal motions. Prosecutors grew suspicious in March when SBF filed for an extension just days after his mother, Barbara Fried, sent her own letter to the court. In a response made public this Wednesday, Bankman-Fried asserted that he was the “ultimate author” of his documents, though he admitted to consulting his parents.
“I am the author of this letter, but did consult with my parents about it, since it concerns both of them,” SBF wrote. He explained that the pressure of defending his self-written filings had become a distraction. More pointedly, he stated he was withdrawing the motion because he does not believe he will receive a “fair hearing” under Judge Kaplan. This move is “without prejudice,” meaning he reserves the right to refile for a new trial after his direct appeal is decided by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The Trump Pardon Strategy: Fact vs. Fiction
Beyond the courtroom drama, SBF’s eyes seem to be on the White House. Since his 2023 conviction for fraud and the misuse of customer funds, Bankman-Fried has used interviews and social media to align himself with Donald Trump’s political orbit. His previous legal filings even echoed “deep state” rhetoric, alleging that the Biden Administration’s Justice Department intimidated witnesses during his trial.
SBF has also taken to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Trump’s pro-crypto stance and foreign policy decisions. This pivot to the right is widely viewed as a play for a presidential pardon should Trump return to office. However, the feeling doesn’t seem to be mutual. In a recent interview, Donald Trump stated he had no intention of pardoning the disgraced “Crypto King,” leaving SBF’s long-term freedom dependent on the very appellate courts he is currently challenging.
