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- Senators oppose any pardon or sentence cut for jailed FTX founder Bankman-Fried.
- The resolution backs the jury verdict and rejects claims that the case was political.
- Bankman-Fried’s 25-year sentence remains in place after his conviction was upheld.
A bipartisan Senate resolution has opposed any Sam Bankman-Fried pardon, as lawmakers seek to block clemency for the jailed FTX founder. Senators Rubén Gallego and Cynthia Lummis introduced the measure in Washington. They said Congress should defend the verdict now.
The resolution rejects any pardon, commutation, sentence cut, or special release. It also backs the federal jury verdict and Kaplan’s sentence. The measure disputes claims that the case was political.
Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, said Bankman-Fried should remain in prison. He said the former crypto executive has shown no remorse for harm tied to FTX. Lummis said he already had his chance in court.
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Sam Bankman-Fried Pardon Request Awaits DOJ Decision
Both senators serve on the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets. Their statement said the Sam Bankman-Fried pardon debate matters because customers suffered losses. A Lummis spokesperson said Bankman-Fried is increasing his clemency push.
The action follows Bankman-Fried’s request to the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney. He asked for a pardon after completion of his sentence. The request has not received a final decision.
Bankman-Fried’s conviction was upheld by a higher court. That decision kept his 25-year sentence in place. He is not expected to be released until 2044 at the earliest.
FTX collapsed in November 2022 after a liquidity crisis exposed financial problems. The exchange was among the world’s largest crypto trading platforms. Its failure led to criminal charges, bankruptcy proceedings, and new scrutiny.
A jury convicted Bankman-Fried in November 2023 on seven charges. The counts included fraud and conspiracy tied to customers, lenders, and investors. Prosecutors said FTX customers lost more than $8 billion.
Kaplan sentenced Bankman-Fried in March 2024 to 25 years in prison. The judge also ordered him to forfeit $11 billion. The case became a major U.S. financial fraud prosecution.
White House Rejects Sam Bankman-Fried Pardon Speculation
Since starting his sentence, Bankman-Fried has continued to maintain his innocence. He has used public statements and social media to press his case. He has criticized Kaplan and called the judge politically biased.
The Sam Bankman-Fried pardon issue gained attention after he praised Trump administration actions. He supported Trump’s appointment of Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. He also backed Trump’s “TrumpRx” plan.
The White House said in January 2026 that Trump did not plan to grant a Sam Bankman-Fried pardon. The statement followed Bankman-Fried’s support for policy positions. It came after his criticism of what he called biased institutions.
Trump has pardoned figures linked to the crypto sector. Those names include Ross Ulbricht, Arthur Hayes, Ben Delo, and Changpeng Zhao. Gallego and Lummis said that history makes a congressional position necessary.
The Sam Bankman-Fried pardon push now faces resistance from both parties. The resolution does not decide the clemency request, but it signals pressure from Congress. Prediction markets show low expectations that a Sam Bankman-Fried pardon will be granted.
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