Prosecution to use Caroline Ellison notes as evidence against SBF

[Z-tight]

I want to tell you that Binance broke US laws just as much as FTX. But one executive spent four months in prison, and the other received a 25-year sentence.

Binance and cz broke U.S. laws, but it was nothing like what sbf did with ftx, and hence the huge difference in prison time. I agree that cz should have spent more time behind bars, maybe the 3 years prosecutors were demanding, but he was able to get a favorable sentencing and even later got pardoned for whatever reason, lol.

Cz and binance pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering in their exchange, they allowed customers from sanctioned countries and broke kyc laws in the U.S.. Sbf on the other hand was guilty of fraud and mismanaging customer funds of a very large scale. It is obvious that these offenses differ, very obvious.

[zasad@]

I want to tell you that Binance broke US laws just as much as FTX. But one executive spent four months in prison, and the other received a 25-year sentence.

Binance and cz broke U.S. laws, but it was nothing like what sbf did with ftx, and hence the huge difference in prison time. I agree that cz should have spent more time behind bars, maybe the 3 years prosecutors were demanding, but he was able to get a favorable sentencing and even later got pardoned for whatever reason, lol.

Cz and binance pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering in their exchange, they allowed customers from sanctioned countries and broke kyc laws in the U.S.. Sbf on the other hand was guilty of fraud and mismanaging customer funds of a very large scale. It is obvious that these offenses differ, very obvious.

The US has already seen its share of cryptocurrency laundering trials. Defendants received prison sentences of five years or more.

"CZ and Binance pleaded guilty to facilitating money laundering on their exchange"-you say the first sentence but not the second: "Binance agreed to a settlement with various regulators, including paying fines totaling approximately $4.3 billion."

Anyone would agree to spend three years in a US prison for $4 billion

[safar1980]

Sam Bankman-Fried files for new trial over FTX fraud charges
The incarcerated former leader of the failed crypto exchange wants a new chance to defend against fraud charges.
What to know:
Sam Bankman-Fried's mom filed the ex-CEO's latest request to clear his name in court, with the former leader of global crypto exchange FTX seeking another U.S. trial.
He's representing himself at this point, according to the 35-page "pro se" filing.
SBF will have to demonstrate he has compelling new evidence to warrant another trial.

[zasad@]

https://x.com/SBF_FTX/status/2021165548306907339
SBF @SBF_FTX(C)
"Agree with almost all of this.

But FTX was never bankrupt. I never filed for it.

The lawyers took over the company and 4 hours later they filed a bogus bankruptcy so they could pilfer it for money."


https://x.com/AriDavidPaul/status/2021384504036770190
"You had a $5b+ balance sheet hole and couldn’t meet withdrawals.  That was because you stole $5b+ from FTX depositors, gambled it at Alameda and lost it. 

And ofc FTX was bankrupt.  Majority of your “assets” were fake marks on tokens you controlled." 

[Z-tight]

Sam Bankman-Fried files for new trial over FTX fraud charges

That is interesting, i wonder what new evidence sbf believes he now has in order to warrant another trial. I do have a strong feeling that the court would reject this motion for a new trial. I felt the only route sbf could get out of prison earlier than his 25 year sentencing was through a Donald Trump's presidential pardon, but Mr president has already declared that he would not be extending any pardon to sbf.

[Zlantann]

That is interesting, i wonder what new evidence sbf believes he now has in order to warrant another trial. I do have a strong feeling that the court would reject this motion for a new trial. I felt the only route sbf could get out of prison earlier than his 25 year sentencing was through a Donald Trump's presidential pardon, but Mr president has already declared that he would not be extending any pardon to sbf.

He is also defending himself, which means he has trained himself in law while in prison. He is claiming that the company didn't go bankrupt when it collapsed, which might mean that customers' funds were safe.

But persecutors are insisting that the main thrust of the case is that he used customers' funds in a manner that was not agreed upon. When you deceive investors and misuse their funds, that's a criminal offense.

The best he could get from this appeal is a reduced sentence.     

[Z-tight]

The best he could get from this appeal is a reduced sentence.      

I doubt he'd even get that. Since Trump has declined granting him a pardon, maybe his next best chance of getting out of jail earlier is a presidential pardon from whoever becomes the next president of the United States.

However, his claim of ftx not being bankrupt is bullshit. The moment customers rushed to withdraw their funds from ftx, it exposed the fact that there was a large hold in ftx's account worth billions of dollars. And sbf had gambled with these monies and too bad that he lost it. That's why he's in prison now and the reason i cannot see a retrial happening.

[zasad@]

I'm a big fan of American law. Epstein's case is in the news a lot these days, so here it is:

"Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in 2020. In 2022, a New York court sentenced her to 20 years in prison. She was found guilty on five counts, including sex trafficking of minors. In 2025, she appealed her sentence."
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8420170
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/ghislaine-maxwell-s-jailhouse-routine-revealed-in-epstein-files-footage-of-her-stint-at-nyc-lockup/ar-AA1VMsvw
These people trafficked children who were used in sexual slavery as part of a group, and the main accomplice received 20 years in prison.

A drug addict who liked to wear shorts received 25 years in prison for mismanaging clients' funds.

[Z-tight]

These people trafficked children who were used in sexual slavery as part of a group, and the main accomplice received 20 years in prison.

I must admit i didn't know who Ghislaine Maxwell was until i read your post, and now i have gone ahead to read extensively about her. A few days ago, she also faced questions from the U.S. House oversight committee, were she declined to speak. And the highlight of it all is that her lawyer said she would speak on the Epstein case if granted pardon by Donald Trump.

A drug addict who liked to wear shorts received 25 years in prison for mismanaging clients' funds.

Lol, i didn't know sbf was a drug addict. However, i didn't follow the Maxwell's case at the time it happened, so i don't know why she got only 20 years, i feel it should have been a lot more. The same way a lot of people also feel sbf's should have been a lot more too.

[Zlantann]

The best he could get from this appeal is a reduced sentence.      

I doubt he'd even get that. Since Trump has declined granting him a pardon, maybe his next best chance of getting out of jail earlier is a presidential pardon from whoever becomes the next president of the United States.

However, his claim of ftx not being bankrupt is bullshit. The moment customers rushed to withdraw their funds from ftx, it exposed the fact that there was a large hold in ftx's account worth billions of dollars. And sbf had gambled with these monies and too bad that he lost it. That's why he's in prison now and the reason i cannot see a retrial happening.

Donald Trumps failure to give him presidential pardon doesn't mean that he cannot get a reduction in the years he would get in prison. Don't forget that SBF has some political connections because he donated to some of them. Some of these politicians are currently in government and can use their connections to influence the judgement.

His ability to argue his case well in court can also bring a favorable judgement. His claim that FTX attorneys had forged bankruptcy documents and an evidence of a former colleague who said he would have testified during his trial if not for threats from persecutors might help in his case.   

[zasad@]

These people trafficked children who were used in sexual slavery as part of a group, and the main accomplice received 20 years in prison.

I must admit i didn't know who Ghislaine Maxwell was until i read your post, and now i have gone ahead to read extensively about her. A few days ago, she also faced questions from the U.S. House oversight committee, were she declined to speak. And the highlight of it all is that her lawyer said she would speak on the Epstein case if granted pardon by Donald Trump.

A drug addict who liked to wear shorts received 25 years in prison for mismanaging clients' funds.

Lol, i didn't know sbf was a drug addict. However, i didn't follow the Maxwell's case at the time it happened, so i don't know why she got only 20 years, i feel it should have been a lot more. The same way a lot of people also feel sbf's should have been a lot more too.

The most interesting thing about this situation is that not a single pedophile was ever held accountable, even though at least 50 children were involved. Here's one case, but this person only received compensation.
AI:

Prince Andrew was accused by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims, of sexually abusing her when she was just 17 years old. Giuffre claimed that Epstein forced her to have sex with the prince at Ghislaine Maaxwell's home.
Denial: Andrew categorically denied all allegations. He claimed he had no memory of meeting Giuffre and insisted he never had sexual relations with her.
Consequences: As a result of the scandal, Prince Andrew abdicated his royal duties and lost the support of the royal family. In 2022, he reached a settlement with Giuffre, not admitting guilt but agreeing to pay a certain amount in compensation.

Sam Bankman-Fried is not a drug addict, he used drugs legally
Sam Bankman-Fried disputed reports that FTX and Alameda employees were fueled by drugs: 'This has been totally on-label use of medication'
https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-bankman-fried-drug-use-ftx-alameda-caroline-ellison-amphetamines-2022-11?

[Z-tight]

Don't forget that SBF has some political connections because he donated to some of them. Some of these politicians are currently in government and can use their connections to influence the judgement.

Lol, i believe we are already well past that now and it is obvious that none of those connections is gonna stick their neck out for him. If they wielded such power, they probably would have influenced the initial sentencing. Sbf was one of the biggest donors to the Biden campaign, but in that famous interview he made from prison, he heavily criticized the Biden administration for playing politics in the judiciary. I think that gives us our answer on political connections.

His ability to argue his case well in court can also bring a favorable judgement.

Everyone who understands the law knows how unlikely this is to happen. His claim that ftx was not bankrupt, but only illiquid is surely not going to get him off the hook here. The point is that he took customers funds and gambled it in other stuff for personal gain, that's fraud.

[zasad@]

Sam Bankman-Fried is waging a social media campaign for a pardon—but President Trump will not give him one, says the White House
https://fortune.com/2026/02/24/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-trump-pardon-binance-cz-crypto-tucker-carlson/
"Though Bankman-Fried has not stated so explicitly, the goal of his social media spree is clear: persuade President Donald Trump to spring him from prison. The strategy makes sense given that Trump has been dispensing pardons to several high-profile figures convicted of financial crimes, including Binance founder and onetime Bankman-Fried archrival, Changpeng Zhao.
Alas for Bankman-Fried, his petitions to Trump for mercy appear to be in vain. In response to a request for comment about the recent social media campaign, a White House spokesperson reiterated to Fortune that Trump has no intention of pardoning Bankman-Fried."

[Majestic-milf]

I'm a big fan of American law. Epstein's case is in the news a lot these days, so here it is:

"Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in 2020. In 2022, a New York court sentenced her to 20 years in prison. She was found guilty on five counts, including sex trafficking of minors. In 2025, she appealed her sentence."
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8420170
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/ghislaine-maxwell-s-jailhouse-routine-revealed-in-epstein-files-footage-of-her-stint-at-nyc-lockup/ar-AA1VMsvw
These people trafficked children who were used in sexual slavery as part of a group, and the main accomplice received 20 years in prison.

A drug addict who liked to wear shorts received 25 years in prison for mismanaging clients' funds.

Its clear that the big players are behind the scenes pushing the strings and not so innocent people are made to take the blame for their actions. For SBF's case, I'd admit that I've not been following the news as I thought it was quite settled when the punishment was meted but it's clear that Sam is willing to kiss ass to get himself out of serving that long sentence. If I'm not mistaken, in 2023, SBF tried offering Trump $5bn to not run for president according to an interview with CBS' 60 minutes.
 So if at that time Sam wanted to "discourage" Trump from running, what are the odds that he'd get a listening ear now Trump is on seat? Funny really but I guess that's how far desperation can push you.

[zasad@]

I'm a big fan of American law. Epstein's case is in the news a lot these days, so here it is:

"Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in 2020. In 2022, a New York court sentenced her to 20 years in prison. She was found guilty on five counts, including sex trafficking of minors. In 2025, she appealed her sentence."
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8420170
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/ghislaine-maxwell-s-jailhouse-routine-revealed-in-epstein-files-footage-of-her-stint-at-nyc-lockup/ar-AA1VMsvw
These people trafficked children who were used in sexual slavery as part of a group, and the main accomplice received 20 years in prison.

A drug addict who liked to wear shorts received 25 years in prison for mismanaging clients' funds.

Its clear that the big players are behind the scenes pushing the strings and not so innocent people are made to take the blame for their actions. For SBF's case, I'd admit that I've not been following the news as I thought it was quite settled when the punishment was meted but it's clear that Sam is willing to kiss ass to get himself out of serving that long sentence. If I'm not mistaken, in 2023, SBF tried offering Trump $5bn to not run for president according to an interview with CBS' 60 minutes.
 So if at that time Sam wanted to "discourage" Trump from running, what are the odds that he'd get a listening ear now Trump is on seat? Funny really but I guess that's how far desperation can push you.

People like Trump value power more than billions of dollars. Trump’s statements alone make all world markets turn red or green, and you believe in these fairy tales that Trump will give up such power for billions. He has no problems with money.
SBF could have been deceived by cunning middlemen. And this doesn’t matter now, because Trump is now the president of a huge country, and SBF is in prison.

[Z-tight]

So if at that time Sam wanted to "discourage" Trump from running, what are the odds that he'd get a listening ear now Trump is on seat? Funny really but I guess that's how far desperation can push you.

I didn't know about any offer such as this, but i have done a quick surf and i understand this statement was made by author Michael Lewis, and not sbf himself. So, hard to tell if it is true or not. Sbf donated massively to the Democrats, so it goes without saying that he never wanted Trump, who is a Republican, in power. But i am not sure about him thinking of offering him money not to run.

However, now that Trump is in power, he can only get out of jail if the man says so. Though i think the chances of sbf getting a pardon from Trump is near zero. Maybe he would stand a better chance if a Democrat wins the next presidential election.

[Fiatless]

People like Trump value power more than billions of dollars. Trump’s statements alone make all world markets turn red or green, and you believe in these fairy tales that Trump will give up such power for billions. He has no problems with money.
SBF could have been deceived by cunning middlemen. And this doesn’t matter now, because Trump is now the president of a huge country, and SBF is in prison.

As the President of the United States, he could make more than $5b within his four-year tenure. His children and associates are already raking in billions from their connection with the president. If SBF truly openly discouraged Trump from contesting for a second term, the former FTX boss should forget a presidential pardon or even a reduced sentence.   

[zasad@]

People like Trump value power more than billions of dollars. Trump’s statements alone make all world markets turn red or green, and you believe in these fairy tales that Trump will give up such power for billions. He has no problems with money.
SBF could have been deceived by cunning middlemen. And this doesn’t matter now, because Trump is now the president of a huge country, and SBF is in prison.

As the President of the United States, he could make more than $5b within his four-year tenure. His children and associates are already raking in billions from their connection with the president. If SBF truly openly discouraged Trump from contesting for a second term, the former FTX boss should forget a presidential pardon or even a reduced sentence.   

SBF didn't have 5 billion. It had shitcoins, whose price plummeted after the FTX exchange scandal. Trump is a serious businessman, and SBF is a young clown and upstart. I don't think Trump would seriously consider this proposal. But for money, SBF could have found intermediaries who would have feigned negotiation This is not prohibited by American policy.