Story perspectives

Judge Denies SBF New Trial, Upholds 25-Year Sentence

4/30/2026

Summary

Kaplan Rejects New Trial

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan denied Sam Bankman-Fried’s request for a new trial, leaving his 25-year sentence in place.
Kaplan said the alleged “newly discovered” witnesses were known to Bankman-Fried and were never compelled to testify, calling his claim of government threats “wildly conspiratorial.”
Kaplan noted that granting a new trial would waste judicial resources because the case record is extensive and the order called Ryan Salame’s post-trial statements “highly questionable.”

Summary

Bankman-Fried Forfeits

Judge Sam Bankman-Fried must forfeit $11 billion to compensate victims.
Prosecutors said he diverted customer deposits to cover Alameda losses, pay loans and fund lavish real-estate purchases.
The collapse of FTX and risky Alameda investments destabilized the cryptocurrency sector and spurred heightened regulatory scrutiny.
Caroline Ellison, former Alameda head, received a two-year sentence and was granted early release.

Summary

Bankman-Fried Denied

Sam Bankman-Fried, former FTX founder, requested a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump said he will not grant clemency to Bankman-Fried.
Sam Bankman-Fried remains incarcerated in Lompoc, California, while his appeal challenges the conviction and 25-year sentence.
Attorney Alexandra Shapiro argued at the November appeal hearing that Judge Kaplan barred the defense from informing jurors about sufficient funds and legal advice.

Summary

Bankman-Fried Blocked

Judge Barrington Parker rejected Bankman-Fried's claim that attorney-drafted documents could exonerate him as irrelevant.
Bankman-Fried could still file a habeas corpus petition, a post-conviction remedy that succeeds less often than direct appeals.
His parents have lobbied, appearing on CNN and coordinating with lawyers and Trump allies to seek his release.
Bankman-Fried has kept praising U.S. President Donald Trump on Twitter, a tweet cited in court records.

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Kaplan Rejects New Trial

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan denied Sam Bankman-Fried’s request for a new trial, leaving his 25-year sentence in place.
Kaplan said the alleged “newly discovered” witnesses were known to Bankman-Fried and were never compelled to testify, calling his claim of government threats “wildly conspiratorial.”
Kaplan noted that granting a new trial would waste judicial resources because the case record is extensive and the order called Ryan Salame’s post-trial statements “highly questionable.”

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