Sam Bankman-Fried Drops Request for New Trial, Citing Fairness Concerns

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has officially withdrawn his motion for a retrial, expressing concerns that he would not receive a fair trial. Currently serving a 25-year sentence for fraud and conspiracy, Bankman-Fried indicated that he may refile the motion after the outcome of his direct appeal and a related request for reassignment are determined. The initial motion for a new trial was submitted by his mother, Barbara Fried, citing newly discovered evidence. Bankman-Fried drafted the motion himself while in detention, with minimal assistance from his lawyers and family members. He clarified that although he sought input from his lawyers and parents, the final motion was largely his own work. The appeal is currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where his attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, argued that the original trial was inherently unfair due to restrictions on the evidence Bankman-Fried could present to the jury.