Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, said in a phone interview from federal prison that he “absolutely” wants a presidential pardon. He added that the decision rests with the president, not with him. Asked whether his parents or close associates were lobbying in Washington on his behalf, SBF declined to speak for them and gave no direct answer.
The interview was published by Fox Business reporter Susan Li on June 8, 2026. Bankman-Fried was sentenced in March 2024 to 25 years in prison after being convicted on seven felony counts, including wire fraud and conspiracy. Even after sentencing, he is still using media appearances to defend his conduct and press his case in public.
SBF points to bankruptcy recoveries
In the interview, Bankman-Fried again denied that he stole customer money. The source material says the court found that the collapse of FTX caused losses approaching $10 billion, including roughly $8 billion in customer losses and $1.7 billion for equity investors. SBF responded by focusing on the bankruptcy process, saying customers are now expected to receive about 170% recovery because of the rebound in crypto markets.
He argued that FTX has become a rare bankruptcy case in which customers may receive more than their original principal. On that basis, he called both the prosecution and the sentence deeply unfair. He also attacked the three-year bankruptcy and court process, saying that the legal handling of the collapse, in his view, caused major harm to customers.
Missed the AI boom from prison
Bankman-Fried also spoke about technology trends outside his legal case. He said he regrets missing the current AI boom while incarcerated. According to his account, he had planned to pursue AI investments through both the FTX platform and his personal venture fund, but prison has left him unable to act on those plans.
He also praised Elon Musk's business instincts and spoke positively about SpaceX's prospects. The source notes that outside observers see those remarks as an attempt to appeal, through the media, to figures with political and business influence. The interview itself, however, did not disclose any concrete progress toward a pardon.