Ryan Salame Accuses Biden Administration of Biased Prosecution, Hopes for Trump Pardon

Former FTX executive Ryan Salame, currently serving a 7.5-year prison sentence, has publicly criticized the Biden administration, accusing the Department of Justice (DOJ) of politically motivated and selective prosecution. According to Salame, the DOJ under President Biden targeted individuals rather than crimes and deliberately ignored similar actions by Democratic allies. In a post on X, Salame claimed he was “chosen as a scapegoat” due to his donations to Republican campaigns. He also alleged that prosecutors ignored evidence in his favor and silenced witnesses who could confirm his innocence. Concerns over how the DOJ handled the FTX case were echoed by Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the founder of the collapsed crypto exchange, who reposted Salame’s message. SBF argued that the Biden-era DOJ went after people who had no knowledge of the core fraud at FTX, while disregarding evidence proving their lack of involvement. Salame further claimed that he was pressured into pleading guilty to making unlawful political donations and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. He accused a former assistant U.S. attorney of threatening to investigate his pregnant partner:

"They went after my wife—literally and figuratively. I eventually surrendered to make sure my loved ones wouldn’t be harmed. I refused to lie, and that’s what they wanted me to do,” he said.

Hopes for a Trump Pardon Salame expressed support for an executive order by former President Donald Trump that addresses the alleged “weaponization” of federal agencies under Biden. He is hopeful that Trump’s return could bring reform—and perhaps a presidential pardon. He referenced similar hopes held by figures like Changpeng Zhao and Arthur Hayes, who also clashed with U.S. regulators. Although Trump has not granted clemency to anyone directly involved in international crypto cases, Salame—having been a Republican donor and pleaded guilty—might stand a chance.

SBF Says He Never Had a Fair Trial Meanwhile, Bankman-Fried’s legal team argues that their client was presumed guilty from the outset. They claim the prosecutors, media, and especially the presiding judge acted with bias, and that SBF never received a fair trial.

FTX Token Slightly Up While the legal saga unfolds, the FTX token (FTT) has gained over 3%, currently trading at $0.479. Its 24-hour low and high are $0.464 and $0.484, respectively.

#FTX , #SBF , #TRUMP , #CZ , #biden

Stay one step ahead – follow our profile and stay informed about everything important in the world of cryptocurrencies! Notice: ,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“