Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has withdrawn his request for a new trial. The motion, filed in February, sought to overturn his conviction on multiple fraud charges. Bankman-Fried stated he is pulling the motion because he believes U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan will not provide a "fair hearing."
Bankman-Fried, currently serving a 25-year sentence in a California correctional facility, had initially filed the motion pro se, meaning he was representing himself. However, it emerged that his parents, Barbara Fried and Joe Bankman, had provided editorial suggestions and assisted in printing the document. Bankman-Fried acknowledged their help but insisted he was the primary author.
Judge Kaplan had previously questioned whether Bankman-Fried received outside legal assistance for the motion, warning the former crypto mogul of potential perjury. Bankman-Fried maintains that his appellate attorneys and others involved in his criminal trial did not assist with this specific request. The FTX founder was convicted in 2023 for orchestrating a multi-billion-dollar fraud scheme.