Parents Seek Pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried

The parents of Sam Bankman-Fried are seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump, although it’s unclear if they have contacted the White House, according to Bloomberg.

Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried’s efforts come after previous attempts to secure pardons for prominent crypto figures. Notably, Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder, was granted clemency after 11 years in prison following a Trump pardon on January 21.

However, Sam Bankman-Fried may face greater challenges. The former CEO of now-defunct FTX was sentenced to 25 years after being convicted of defrauding billions from investors in one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history.

Bankman-Fried was also a significant donor to the Biden campaign, contributing $5.2 million to help defeat Trump in 2020.

Currently, the odds of him receiving a presidential pardon within Trump’s first 100 days are low, with Polymarket indicating only a 6% chance. In contrast, Ulbricht had 95% odds leading to his pardon, bolstered by an Elon Musk tweet shortly before the announcement.