FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Requests New Trial After Firing Attorney

In brief

• Sam Bankman-Fried has requested a new trial, days after firing his lawyer and opting to represent himself.
• The disgraced FTX founder appears to be claiming to have newly discovered evidence in his case worthy of a new trial.
• Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year sentence on seven federal fraud and conspiracy charges.

Convicted fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried formally requested a new trial in Manhattan on Tuesday, days after firing his attorney. The disgraced FTX founder is currently representing himself. Bankman-Fried had his mother, Stanford Law ethics professor Barbara Fried, file the motion for a new trial on his behalf. The filing, first reported by Inner City Press, requests a new trial under Rule 33 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. That rule allows any defendant to request a new trial within three years of receiving a guilty verdict, if the defendant claims to have discovered new evidence in their case. 

Requests for a new trial for any reason besides newly discovered evidence must be filed within 14 days of receiving a guilty verdict. Bankman-Fried was found guilty by a Manhattan jury over two years ago on seven fraud and conspiracy charges. He is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for his role in the implosion of crypto exchange FTX—which was valued at $32 billion at the time of its 2022 collapse—and the misappropriation of $10 billion worth of customer funds. In 2024, Bankman-Fried appealed his conviction, claiming he was “presumed guilty” by all involved in the case, including the media, prosecutors, the judge, and the FTX debtor estate. On Friday, the crypto founder fired his appellate lawyer, Jason Driscoll, according to court filings. It’s unclear what, if any, new evidence Bankman-Fried may have discovered in his case that could potentially lead to a jury clearing his name.

The entrepreneur has made several posts on X in recent weeks (via a proxy), focused primarily on alleging he was the victim of “lawfare” directed at the crypto industry by the Biden administration. Bankman-Fried has attempted to align himself with President Donald Trump since Trump’s re-election, claiming both men were accused of “bogus charges” by their political enemies. During Bankman-Fried’s 2023 trial, federal prosecutors disclosed a document in which the FTX founder considered “com[ing] out as a Republican” as a means to avoid culpability. The strategy has not proven successful thus far. Trump told the New York Times last month that he has no intention of pardoning Bankman-Fried.