Prosecutors have raised doubts about a court filing submitted in the name of imprisoned former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, citing evidence it was sent via FedEx from California’s Bay Area, not from a federal prison. The filing, which requested a deadline extension, emerged as Bankman-Fried’s parents publicly launched a clemency campaign, framing his prosecution as political and his 25-year sentence for fraud as excessive.
Federal prosecutors have questioned the authenticity of a March 16 court letter submitted in the name of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. In a filing, they noted the envelope was shipped via FedEx from Palo Alto or Menlo Park, not from prison, and bore a typed signature, stating this gives them “reason to doubt” it was actually sent by the inmate.
The letter sought a one-month extension for Bankman-Fried to respond to a government brief, citing an expected prison transfer. This legal wrangling coincides with a public clemency push from his parents, who argued his prosecution was politically motivated in a recent interview.
“I think we have a really serious problem with prosecution being used for political ambition,” said his mother, Barbara Fried, who also claimed the Biden administration tried to “destroy crypto.” His father, Joseph Bankman, rejected comparisons to Bernie Madoff, asserting his son was a pioneer who built billion-dollar businesses.
Separately, a letter written by Fried but submitted in her son’s name was rejected by Judge Lewis Kaplan, who stated she “lacks standing” to seek relief. The judge noted court staff had also received a voicemail from Fried, which is not accepted from family members.
Bankman-Fried was convicted for his role in FTX’s 2022 collapse, where prosecutors said roughly $8 billion in customer funds was missing. His family has portrayed the exchange’s failure as a liquidity crisis, with Fried stating “all of the money was turned over” and customers were repaid with interest.
The clemency effort follows President Donald Trump’s 2025 pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. However, according to reports, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) called Bankman-Fried a “piece of shit” and opposed a pardon, while Trump indicated in February he currently has no plans to offer one.
