Court documents reveal 12 Bankman-Fried media influence tactics to obtain pardon

Traders Union
All News
Crypto News
Court-documents-reveal

All news

Editors' Picks

Crypto News

Financial News

Market Voices

Billionaires

Companies

Broker News

Regulators News

Yaroslav Dmytrenko

12.02.2026

Court documents reveal 12 Bankman-Fried media influence tactics to obtain pardon — Bankman-Fried takes Republican position in seeking pardon

Although U.S. President Donald Trump has denied the possibility of pardoning FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, the latter’s information strategy appears to be betting precisely on that outcome. Recent messages from prison, relayed through an intermediary, show that Bankman-Fried is positioning himself as a Republican, criticizing the Biden administration’s approach to cryptocurrency regulation and other policy issues.

Documents made public through sentencing materials detail 12 tactics that Bankman-Fried considered to generate favorable media coverage after being charged, arrested, extradited, and formally indicted by U.S. authorities.

Among the proposals were:

Appearing on conservative media platforms, such as Tucker Carlson’s show or other right-leaning channels, in order to “befriend” conservatives.
Announcing a political shift toward the Republican Party or expressing support for conservative audiences.
Arranging an interview with prominent author Michael Lewis on mainstream channels so he could present a “positive story” about him.
Engaging in public debates with financial commentators (for example, on a podcast or show with Matt Levine) to “defend his positions.”
Delivering a sharp critical message against a competitor, such as crypto exchange Binance, to divert attention and strengthen his standing among crypto audiences.
Making high-profile statements denying the charges in an attempt to portray events in a more favorable light.
Supporting public narratives that could soften perceptions of his actions, including emphasizing “mistakes, but good intentions.”

Other tactics included attempts to manipulate or capture media attention by shaping arguments that might distract from the core allegations—for example, by raising debates about regulatory unfairness or reigniting discussions around crypto policy.

However, many critics view these “ideas” as attempts to manipulate public opinion rather than professional PR strategies. The document was reportedly used by prosecutors to argue for a harsher sentence — 25 years in prison on seven counts.

A pardon as the only option

Recent prison messages indicate that Bankman-Fried claims he became a Republican in 2022 and has expressed support for former President Donald Trump’s crypto policies, while criticizing the Biden administration’s approach to digital asset regulation and broader policy matters.

Streaming commentator Atrioc believes these statements appear aimed at securing a presidential pardon, similar to other figures in the cryptocurrency industry, including Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.

Legal experts, meanwhile, suggest that Bankman-Fried’s appeals and motions for case review are unlikely to succeed under standard appellate procedures. The Federal Bureau of Prisons lists Bankman-Fried with a projected release date in the 2040s. As a result, a presidential pardon remains a potential avenue for sentence relief, although there are no indications that such a move is being considered by Trump or his circle.

As we wrote, Sam Bankman-Fried claims bankruptcy was forced by lawyers, citing court filing

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.