FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Takes Fraud Conviction to Supreme Court

Last updated: 

September 12, 2026

Sam Bankman-Fried asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to overturn his fraud conviction stemming from the collapse of FTX, following high-profile pardons of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and Binance co-founder CZ.

He is serving a 25-year prison sentence following his 2023 conviction, and his lawyers are also challenging an approximately $11Bn forfeiture.

The justices must first decide whether to hear the case. The court receives thousands of such requests each year and agrees to hear arguments in about 60 cases.

What Does the Petition from Sam Bankman-Fried Actually Challenge?

The petition challenges key parts of the case against Bankman-Fried, including the conviction and the forfeiture order.

• The conviction: His lawyers argue the trial court improperly prevented him from presenting evidence about whether FTX customers ultimately recovered their money.
• The forfeiture order: The defense argues that the roughly $11 billion forfeiture is excessive under the Eighth Amendment.
• A separate pardon application: Online records from the Office of the Pardon Attorney list Bankman-Fried’s request for a pardon from President Trump as pending.