SBF Appeal Rejected; Pardon Bid Unlikely to Succeed
What happened: The U.
What happened: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit unanimously upheld Sam Bankman-Fried’s (SBF) fraud and conspiracy conviction and 25-year sentence on June 12. The panel described the case against SBF as "robust," rejecting his defense’s arguments about trial evidence. Days earlier, SBF filed a formal pardon request with the Trump administration, but President Trump and the White House have publicly stated a pardon is unlikely.
Why it matters: The ruling closes off nearly all legal avenues for the former FTX CEO, with only long-shot options like an en banc rehearing or Supreme Court petition remaining. The FTT token surged by about 50% after news of the pardon application, highlighting ongoing market volatility tied to SBF’s legal saga. The case continues to serve as a cautionary tale for crypto governance and regulatory oversight.
Source: Decrypt, CoinDesk, Bitcoin.com News