SBF Begs Trump for Presidential Pardon: Unanimous Bipartisan Rejection
📋 En bref (TL;DR)
- Sam Bankman-Fried begs Trump for a pardon: from his prison cell, the former FTX CEO is running a pro-Trump campaign on X through an intermediary, blaming his conviction on “Biden’s lawfare machine” and has hired a lawyer with ties to the Trump 2016/2020 campaigns.
- Unanimous bipartisan rejection in Congress: Republicans and Democrats alike categorically refuse any clemency. Senator Bernie Moreno calls SBF “a piece of sh*t,” while Senator Cynthia Lummis reminds that his victims deserve justice.
- Trump and the White House shut the door: the president confirmed to the New York Times in January 2026 that he would not pardon SBF, a position reiterated by the White House in February.
- An incomparable fraud: unlike Ross Ulbricht, CZ, or the BitMEX founders, SBF directly stole over $8 billion from his customers, making his situation legally and politically indefensible.
Sam Bankman-Fried, sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating one of the largest financial frauds in history, has clearly not given up on regaining his freedom. From his cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the former crypto prodigy is waging a media and political charm offensive targeting Donald Trump, hoping to secure a presidential pardon. But this strategy has hit a wall: the rejection is total, bipartisan, and final.
While Trump has already pardoned several crypto figures — Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road), Changpeng Zhao (Binance), and the BitMEX co-founders — the SBF case stands apart. The direct theft of over $8 billion in customer funds places the former FTX executive in a category where no political maneuvering seems capable of saving him.
SBF’s desperate strategy from prison
An X account operated from his cell
For several months, Sam Bankman-Fried’s X (formerly Twitter) account has been active again. But he is not the one typing on a keyboard: a close friend acts as an intermediary, relaying SBF’s messages through communications authorized by the prison administration. The content of these posts leaves no doubt about the objective: courting Donald Trump and his base.
The posts praise Trump administration initiatives, from the TrumpRX drug pricing program to criticisms of the “deep state.” SBF goes as far as touting Truth Social and GETTR as free speech platforms. Above all, he systematically attributes his conviction to “Biden’s lawfare machine,” presenting himself as a political victim rather than a fraudster convicted on seven counts.
The Tucker Carlson interview: a gamble that backfired
In March 2025, SBF crossed a red line by giving an unauthorized interview to Tucker Carlson from prison. During the exchange, he discussed sharing a cell block with Sean “Diddy” Combs and described prison life as “soul-crushing.” The interview also contained a thinly veiled plea for presidential clemency.
The Bureau of Prisons reacted immediately: SBF was placed in solitary confinement. A spokesperson confirmed to the New York Times that “this particular interview was not authorized.” Far from advancing his cause, this initiative earned him even harsher detention conditions.
A Trump campaign lawyer enlisted by SBF
SBF’s parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, both former Stanford professors, have not given up either. They hired Kory Langhofer, an Arizona attorney who worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, as well as on the 2016-2017 transition team. The goal: leveraging his connections within the Trump orbit to plead their son’s case.
Bankman-Fried’s inner circle is also trying to mobilize lobbyists and business figures to defend a bold thesis: FTX did not actually harm its customers, since the bankruptcy process now allows creditors to be repaid. An argument that neither Congress nor the White House has found convincing.
A historic bipartisan rejection in Congress
What makes SBF’s situation particularly hopeless is the unanimity of the rejection. Republicans and Democrats, pro-crypto or not, agree on one point: a pardon is unacceptable.
Republicans shut the door
Senator Bernie Moreno, Republican from Ohio and a leading figure in the pro-crypto movement in Congress, did not mince words with Politico: “The guy’s a piece of sh*t. He shouldn’t be pardoned.” A statement that leaves no room for ambiguity.
Senator Cynthia Lummis, nicknamed the Senate’s “crypto queen,” was equally blunt. On social media, she wrote in capital letters: “Someone’s looking for a pardon and doesn’t realize the CLARITY Act would have you locked up for much longer than 25 years.” She added that SBF had “hurt a lot of people” and needed to “spend some time reflecting on that.”
Representative Mike Flood, Republican from Nebraska and member of the House Financial Services Committee, was just as direct: “He crashed the market. He engaged in massive fraud. […] Wall Street’s not needing him back to fix any problems. He helped us identify a problem by committing a massive amount of fraud — and we rewarded him with a long stay in a federal prison.”
Democrats share the same assessment
On the Democratic side, the rejection is just as clear-cut. Representative Sam Liccardo, a California Democrat who is otherwise supportive of the crypto industry, quipped that the only way for SBF to get a pardon would be through an act of blatant corruption — an acid reference to the Trump administration’s controversial pardons.
This united front is all the more remarkable given that Congress is deeply divided on most crypto policy issues. But on SBF, there is no debate. The scale of the fraud, the direct theft of customer funds, and the consequences for trust in the crypto ecosystem have created a rare consensus.
Trump and the White House: a definitive no
If congressional opposition is overwhelming, the White House’s position is equally firm. In January 2026, when asked by the New York Times, Donald Trump clearly indicated he had no plans to pardon Sam Bankman-Fried. In February, a White House spokesperson reaffirmed this position to Fortune: the president has no intention of granting any clemency to the FTX founder.
This refusal is also driven by a political detail that carries significant weight: SBF donated $5.2 million to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, making him one of the largest Democratic donors. In the Trump political universe, pardoning a mega-donor to Biden would be an unthinkable gesture, regardless of any charm offensive waged from prison.
Why SBF will not be treated like Ulbricht or CZ
The most common argument among SBF’s supporters goes like this: Trump has already pardoned crypto figures, so why not him? This argument collapses as soon as you examine the facts.
Fundamentally different cases
Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road) was pardoned after serving over 10 years of a life sentence. His case was widely seen as disproportionate: he had created a platform but had not directly stolen money from users. The libertarian community had rallied behind him for years.
Changpeng Zhao (CZ, Binance) had spent only four months in prison for anti-money laundering (AML) compliance failures. No theft of customer funds. Binance paid $4.3 billion in fines and continues to operate.
The BitMEX co-founders (Arthur Hayes et al.) were sentenced to probation and home detention for Bank Secrecy Act violations. Again, no theft of customer funds.
SBF, on the other hand, directly stole over $8 billion belonging to customers who trusted him. He ordered his accomplices to modify Alameda Research‘s accounting systems to allow unlimited leverage, funding speculative investments, political donations, and an extravagant lifestyle — all with his customers’ money.
The Department of Justice called FTX “one of the biggest financial frauds in history.” It is this distinction — direct theft vs. regulatory violations — that makes the SBF case irreconcilable with the precedents.
Lessons for crypto investors
Custody of your assets is paramount
FTX was a centralized exchange (CEX) where users entrusted the custody of their funds to the platform. When the platform went bankrupt, customers had no immediate recourse. The adage “Not your keys, not your coins” has never been more relevant.
Self-custody solutions — non-custodial wallets where the user controls their own private keys — eliminate this counterparty risk. If your crypto is on a wallet where you hold the keys, no exchange bankruptcy can seize them from you.
Regulation is advancing, but slowly
The collapse of FTX accelerated regulatory discussions in both the United States and Europe. The MiCA regulation in Europe, which came into effect in 2024, imposes reserve and transparency requirements on centralized exchanges. In the United States, the CLARITY Act and other bills are under review.
What happens next?
Sam Bankman-Fried has appealed his conviction. The appeal hearing is expected to take place in 2026. But even his lawyers acknowledge that the chances of success are slim: the verdict was based on overwhelming evidence, including testimony from his own co-conspirators who cooperated with prosecutors.
In the meantime, the communication campaign continues on X. But without political support, without public support, and with a president who has publicly shut the door, SBF appears destined to spend many long years behind bars. American justice has spoken, and this time, neither money nor politics can change that.
📚 Glossary
- FTX: Cryptocurrency exchange platform founded in 2019 by Sam Bankman-Fried. Once valued at $32 billion, it collapsed in November 2022 after the revelation of massive misappropriation of customer funds. Its bankruptcy is considered one of the largest financial frauds in history.
- Centralized Exchange (CEX): A cryptocurrency exchange platform operated by a company that holds its users’ funds. Examples: Binance, Coinbase, Kraken. The user trusts a third party to custody their assets, unlike a decentralized exchange (DEX).
- Custody: Refers to holding and securing digital assets. “Self-custody” means the user controls their own private keys through a non-custodial wallet. “Third-party custody” means an intermediary (exchange, bank) holds the keys on your behalf.
- Presidential Pardon: Constitutional power of the President of the United States to pardon a person convicted by federal courts. A pardon erases the conviction and can include immediate release. It is discretionary and does not require congressional approval.
- Financial Fraud: An illegal act consisting of deceiving investors or customers in order to misappropriate their funds. In the case of FTX, SBF used customer deposits to fund Alameda Research’s speculative operations, his political donations, and his lifestyle.
- Alameda Research: Quantitative trading firm founded by SBF in 2017. Closely linked to FTX, it had privileged access to the platform’s funds. It was the primary vehicle through which $8 billion in customer funds were misappropriated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Sam Bankman-Fried asking Trump for a pardon?
Sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy, SBF hopes to obtain a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, who has already pardoned other crypto figures such as Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road) and Changpeng Zhao (Binance). SBF is running a pro-Trump communication campaign from prison through an intermediary on X.
Will Trump pardon SBF?
No. Trump confirmed to the New York Times in January 2026 that he had no plans to pardon SBF. The White House reaffirmed this position in February 2026. Moreover, SBF donated $5.2 million to Biden’s 2020 campaign, making a Trump pardon even more politically unlikely.
What is the difference between the SBF case and Trump’s other crypto pardons?
The fundamental difference is the nature of the crime. Ross Ulbricht created an illegal platform but did not directly steal money. CZ (Binance) was convicted for anti-money laundering compliance failures. The BitMEX founders violated the Bank Secrecy Act. SBF, on the other hand, directly embezzled over $8 billion in funds belonging to his customers.
How much money did SBF steal through FTX?
SBF embezzled over $8 billion in customer funds deposited on FTX. These funds were used to finance Alameda Research’s speculative operations, massive political donations (including $5.2 million for the Biden campaign), and the extravagant lifestyle of SBF and his associates.
What lessons can crypto investors learn from the FTX scandal?
The main lesson is the importance of self-custody: keeping your cryptocurrencies in a wallet where you control the private keys, rather than leaving them on a centralized exchange. The FTX case illustrates the counterparty risk inherent in centralized platforms. It is also crucial to verify the financial soundness and regulatory compliance of any platform you use.
Can SBF still get a reduced sentence?
SBF has appealed both his conviction and his 25-year sentence. The appeal hearing is expected to take place in 2026. However, legal experts consider the chances of success to be slim, given the overwhelming evidence presented at trial, including testimony from his co-conspirators who cooperated with prosecutors.
📰 Sources
This article is based on the following sources:
- Sam Bankman-Fried begs Trump for pardon, gets bipartisan ‘No’ – Protos, comprehensive overview of SBF’s pardon campaign and congressional reactions (March 2026).
- Sam Bankman-Fried is waging a social media campaign for a pardon – Fortune, details on the X campaign and the White House’s position (February 2026).
- Trump says he won’t rescue Sam Bankman-Fried with pardon – CoinDesk, Trump’s statement to the New York Times (January 2026).
- Sam Bankman-Fried was reportedly thrown into solitary confinement for his Tucker Carlson interview – Fortune, details on the unauthorized interview and its consequences (March 2025).
- Samuel Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years – Department of Justice, official sentencing press release (March 2024).
How to cite this article: Fibo Crypto. (2026). SBF Begs Trump for Presidential Pardon: Unanimous Bipartisan Rejection. Retrieved March 18, 2026 from fibo-crypto.fr
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