Trump: No consideration for pardoning SBF

Former U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear in an interview with The New York Times that he would not consider pardoning FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). SBF was convicted in 2023 for multiple charges including misappropriation of customer funds and financial fraud, becoming one of the most iconic criminal cases in the history of the cryptocurrency industry.

In the interview, Trump mentioned that when asked by reporters whether several high-profile inmates might receive presidential pardons, SBF was among those listed but was explicitly excluded. Trump stated that he had no intention of exercising his pardon power for individuals including SBF.

The report also revealed that musician Sean Combs (Diddy) had written to Trump requesting a pardon, but was similarly denied. In contrast, Trump has indeed exercised his pardon power in recent years for some political allies or individuals who support his narrative of "politicized justice," but SBF was not within his consideration.

Analysis indicates that Trump's statement means: the likelihood of SBF being released early through a presidential pardon in the foreseeable future is extremely low, and his criminal liability and civil accountability processes will continue, which will also have a profound impact on discussions regarding compliance and regulation in the cryptocurrency industry.