A federal appeals court has upheld Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud conviction, rejecting his bid to overturn a ruling tied to FTX. The convicted founder is still looking at higher-court options and a possible President Trump pardon, but his request is currently list
By the time the legal clock ran out, the appeal was already slipping out of reach.
A federal appeals court has upheld the fraud conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. He is currently in prison, having been convicted of running one of the largest financial frauds in history involving his crypto-exchange FTX. The court also found him guilty of money laundering.
In the appeals ruling, Judge Barrington Parker wrote that the government’s evidence against him was “conservatively stated, robust.” Bankman-Fried and his team can still ask for the case to go to higher courts, including the Supreme Court.
The conviction didn’t come with a narrow target. All told, he faced seven charges and was found guilty of each and every one. In 2024, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Since then, he has been fighting to overturn the ruling in multiple ways.
One of those paths was an appeal that has now been denied. Another involves his request for a retrial on the grounds that new witness testimony could change the case prosecutors presented. He has also sought to represent himself in any retrial, though it’s described as highly unlikely.
For Bankman-Fried, the courtroom fight is only one front. He is also pursuing a pardon—requesting an official pardon from President Trump. The president suggested earlier this year that he wouldn’t pardon Bankman-Fried. but he also had to be reminded who he was. The Department of Justice website lists the status of the request as “pending.”.
The White House has been free with pardons in the crypto space. and that reality sits like a shadow over this case. The Trump family has a crypto business of its own that has netted the family over $2 billion since he took office in 2025. and there’s “no real way to see who has invested” in Trump’s crypto memecoin. Adding to the broader backdrop. President Trump has also been found liable for fraud in a New York court. has been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to defraud the United States. and the Trump organization was convicted for a years-long scheme involving criminal tax fraud. defrauding investors. and falsifying business records.
In the middle of all that, Bankman-Fried is left with what’s left of legal options and the unpredictability of presidential clemency. The appeals ruling closes one door—for now. Another remains marked “pending.”
Sam Bankman-Fried FTX fraud conviction appeal denied Barrington Parker money laundering Supreme Court presidential pardon Trump
So they’re just gonna keep dragging this out forever? Smh.
The president pardon thing is still pending? That seems wild after “said he wouldn’t.” Like, wait who even knows anymore.
Isn’t this the guy that like, tweeted sorry and then it got worse? I feel like if Trump pardons him then it’s just crypto buddies helping crypto buddies. Also “robust evidence” like okay but did they ever check the algorithm or whatever.
I saw somewhere it was overturned already, so this is confusing. If his appeal is denied, why does it say the pardon is pending like that part is separate? And the part about Trump’s family crypto… doesn’t that mean conflict of interest? Idk, sounds like everybody’s getting special treatment except regular people.