Sam Bankman-Fried pulls motion for a new trial, still asks for new judge

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, serving a 25-year sentence for his role in misusing user funds at the crypto exchange, has dropped a motion in federal court requesting a new trial for his criminal case, but still has a pending appeal of his conviction and sentence.

In a Wednesday filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Bankman-Fried responded to a March 23 letter from Judge Lewis Kaplan ordering the former FTX CEO to answer whether he received any assistance from lawyers for a pro se motion -- a filing on his own behalf without an attorney. Kaplan’s order followed US prosecutors raising doubts whether the convicted company founder filed for an extension of his request for a new trial by himself in March, just a few days after his mother, Barbara Fried, though lacking standing, sent a letter to the court on her son’s behalf.

“I am the author of this letter, but did consult with my parents about it, since it concerns both of them,” said Bankman-Fried, referring to an extension to file for a Rule 33 motion for a new trial, adding:

Bankman-Fried requested in February that a different judge rule on his motion for a new trial, claiming that Kaplan showed “extreme prejudice.” He also awaits a decision on his appeal of his conviction and sentence in the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Neither filing was apparently affected by Bankman-Fried’s letter, posted to the public docket on Wednesday.

Related: Interview with SBF’s parents drops chance of pardon on betting markets

Bankman-Fried, known as SBF, was once the CEO of one of the largest crypto exchanges globally before he was convicted of fraud and charges related to his misuse of customer funds in 2023 and later sentenced to 25 years in prison. As of Wednesday, he was housed at the Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc I, in California.

Is SBF still seeking Trump pardon?

Following his incarceration, the former FTX CEO has made several public statements through interviews and his social media accounts signaling plans to apply for a presidential pardon from Donald Trump.

His request for a new trial included claims that former US President Joe Biden's Justice Department “threatened multiple witnesses into silence or into changing their testimony“ at his criminal trial. He has also posted to X praising Trump's crypto policies and the president's military actions in Iran.

In a January New York Times interview, Trump said that he had no intention of pardoning the convicted former FTX CEO.

Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter