SBF Claims Government Threatened Key Witness

Sam Bankman-Fried is pushing for a new trial with the argument that a key government witness was pressured by prosecutors. In a new filing, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX says Nishad Singh, FTX's former head of engineering, shifted his account after "threats from the government" and that two other former executives, Daniel Chapsky and Ryan Salame, would challenge parts of the government's narrative, per Quartz. Chapsky says in a sworn statement he stayed off the stand after being warned about intense scrutiny and potential retaliation.

Convicted in 2023 on seven fraud and conspiracy counts tied to FTX's collapse, Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year sentence following an earlier jailing for witness tampering. He asks for a new trial and says he'd represent himself if it happens, a scenario legal experts view as improbable. Bloomberg calls it a "long-shot request," while Engadget reports the odds of a retrial "seem pretty slim." Bankman-Fried also wants a different judge, accusing US District Judge Lewis Kaplan of bias. The motion is separate from his existing appeal. Bankman-Fried and his parents are reportedly also seeking a pardon from President Trump. (Ex-FTX executive Caroline Ellison just left federal custody after 14 months.)