Sam Bankman-Fried Wants Another Shot at Freedom

The man who lost $8 billion of other people's money thinks he deserves another day in court.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced FTX founder serving 25 years for fraud, has filed for a new trial. His argument? The government threatened a key witness to change his testimony, making his original conviction a sham.

The Witness Who Changed His Story

At the heart of Bankman-Fried's motion is Nishad Singh, FTX's former head of engineering. Singh was a star prosecution witness whose testimony helped seal SBF's fate on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy.

Now, Bankman-Fried claims Singh only testified against him after receiving "threats from the government." If true, it would undermine the prosecution's entire case.

Two other executives who didn't testify at the original trial—Daniel Chapsky and Ryan Salame—would also dispute the prosecution's claims, according to the filing. Chapsky said in a sworn statement that he chose not to testify after lawyers warned him about media scrutiny and "possible government retaliation."

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The Punishment Gap

Here's what makes SBF's situation particularly galling: the sentencing disparities. While he got 25 years, his co-conspirators received dramatically lighter punishments.

Caroline Ellison, his ex-girlfriend and former Alameda Research CEO, served just 14 months of a two-year sentence. Ryan Salame had his release date moved up by over a year. Same crime, vastly different consequences.

This disparity feeds into Bankman-Fried's narrative of unfair treatment—though prosecutors would argue cooperation has its rewards.

Playing Every Card

The new trial request is just one arrow in SBF's legal quiver. He's simultaneously appealing his conviction, lobbying the White House for a Trump pardon, and asking for a different judge to consider his motion. He claims Judge Lewis Kaplan showed "manifest prejudice" against him.

If granted a new trial, Bankman-Fried says he'd represent himself—a move that legal experts consider extremely risky but perhaps fitting for someone who once believed he was the smartest person in every room.