Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has been placed in solitary confinement at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. His isolation follows an unauthorized interview with political commentator Tucker Carlson, which was posted on Carlson’s YouTube channel on March 6. The video, which has already amassed 748,000 views, was not approved by prison authorities, leading to disciplinary action against Bankman-Fried.
During the interview, Bankman-Fried opened up about his experiences in prison, including his interactions with fellow inmate Sean “Diddy” Combs. Despite the difficult prison environment, Bankman-Fried described Combs as kind, offering a glimpse into his daily life behind bars.
Beyond his placement in solitary confinement, the repercussions of the interview extended to Bankman-Fried’s legal and public relations team. Mark Botnick, his crisis manager since FTX’s collapse in 2022, resigned in the wake of the controversy, stating that he was not involved in arranging the interview. Botnick had previously handled Bankman-Fried’s PR during his legal battles, including violations of bail terms.
Bankman-Fried’s Hopes for a Trump Pardon
Bankman-Fried, once worth over $26 billion, is reportedly seeking a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. As we reported in January, Donald Trump granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the now-defunct darknet marketplace Silk Road, who had served 12 years in prison. This move has fueled speculation that Bankman-Fried may be hoping for a similar outcome.
Sam also shared his thoughts on the future of cryptocurrency under the Trump administration. Expressing optimism, he remarked,
“Hopefully is what I would say. You look at what the Trump administration said going into office, there are a lot of good things.”
He criticized financial regulators for their rigid stance on crypto, stating,
“They’re big giant bureaucracies in the federal government. They’re not used to changing overnight. They have been playing a really obstructive role for a decade in crypto. It’s 30% of the world’s finance, but only 5% of the world’s crypto. The reason is entirely regulatory. The U.S. has been uniquely difficult to work with.”
Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud and money laundering related to the collapse of FTX. The exchange’s downfall defrauded investors of $11 billion, making it one of the largest financial scandals in crypto history. Following the release of the interview, crypto predictions platform Polymarket reported on March 7 that “the odds of an SBF pardon have nearly doubled.” Meanwhile, FTX Digital Markets, the Bahamian subsidiary of the collapsed exchange, has begun repaying creditors. The repayment process, which started on February 18, prioritizes claims of up to $50,000 from affected users, with the next round scheduled for May 30.