SBF Tries Pardon Play in Prison

Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), who is serving a 25-year federal sentence for fraud, has been using prison-approved intermediaries to publicly back President Trump's Iran strikes and administration policy positions in an effort that observers interpret as a campaign for a presidential pardon.

The effort has drawn opposition from pro-crypto Republican lawmakers. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) said 'The guy shouldn't be pardoned. He should go to jail for a long, long time.'

SBF's backing of Trump's policies includes praising the Iran military operation as necessary to counter nuclear risk and crediting Trump with saving the SEC through the appointment of Paul Atkins.

The White House has publicly rejected any plans to pardon SBF, with Trump stating in January 2026 that he had 'no plans' to do so. This stance stands in contrast to other crypto-adjacent clemency cases under Trump's administration, which have included pardons for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and BitMEX co-founders.