Bipartisan Senators Push Back on Bankman-Fried Pardon Bid With Resolution

Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ruben Gallego introduced a bipartisan resolution opposing any presidential pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried, the convicted FTX founder now seeking a pardon from prison.

It cannot block a pardon but signals strong Senate opposition as his petition sits pending at the Justice Department.

Sam Bankman-Fried Pardon Bid Draws Bipartisan Opposition

Bankman-Fried co-founded FTX and Alameda Research before both collapsed in November 2022. A jury convicted him on seven fraud and conspiracy counts in 2023.

Judge Lewis Kaplan sentenced him to 25 years and ordered the forfeiture of $11 billion. Prosecutors said the scheme stole more than $8 billion from customers.

On April 28, 2026, Judge Kaplan rejected Bankman-Fried’s new trial motion. A federal appeals court then upheld his fraud conviction and 25-year sentence last week. The resolution affirms that the sentence reflects the scale and deliberateness of his crimes.

“The 25-year sentence imposed upon Bankman-Fried reflects the extraordinary scale and deliberateness of his crimes, his lack of remorse, and the catastrophic harm inflicted upon millions of victims, and that such a sentence serves the interests of justice,” the text reads.

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Pardon Bid and Political Pushback

Bankman-Fried filed a pardon petition with the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney. Records list the application as pending.

The former FTX CEO has publicly expressed support for President Donald Trump through posts on X. Reports also indicate that his parents have actively pursued efforts to secure a presidential pardon, including engaging lawyers with ties to Trump in 2025.

Despite these efforts, Trump dismissed the possibility of granting Bankman-Fried a pardon in January. Based on his current sentence, Bankman-Fried is projected to be released in 2044.

Beyond his incarceration, he has reportedly discussed launching a new cryptocurrency token after completing his prison term.

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