Sam Bankman-Fried, currently serving a 25-year prison sentence, started publishing posts supporting Donald Trump. The businessman hoped to secure his release, following the example of Changpeng Zhao.
The presidential administration categorically rejected any possibility of an early release.
In an X post, the exchange creator accused Judge Lewis Kaplan of bias, expressing admiration for the current head of state. A White House spokesperson responded by citing the president's January statements refusing to pardon the former Democratic donor.
A Failed Image Change
Following the FTX collapse, the financier attempted to publicly rebrand himself as a Republican. Court documents confirm his plans to appear on Tucker Carlson to declare his support for the new administration.
The government has significantly eased regulatory pressure on the crypto industry since January 2025, closing cases against major blockchain projects. However, Bankman-Fried's past as a major Democratic Party donor completely eliminates his chances of success.
The inmate continues to appeal his sentence in appeals court while a network of X accounts promotes his conservative narratives.