Sam Bankman Fried, the former chief executive of the collapsed crypto exchange FTX, has filed a new request for a retrial in a United States federal court as he continues efforts to overturn his fraud convictions. The motion, submitted in New York, asks the court to reconsider the case based on what his filing describes as new and previously unavailable evidence.
The request was filed on his behalf by his mother and submitted as a pro se motion, meaning Bankman Fried is now representing himself rather than working through legal counsel. Court documents indicate the filing runs more than thirty pages and argues that material evidence and testimony were not presented during the original proceedings. Under federal rules, securing a new trial at this stage requires showing that the evidence could not have been obtained earlier and would likely lead to a different outcome.
Sam Bankman-Fried is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence following his conviction on multiple fraud related charges tied to the misuse of customer funds at FTX. Since the verdict, he has repeatedly pursued appeals and procedural challenges, claiming flaws in how the case was presented to the jury. Previous attempts to question the fairness of the trial have drawn skepticism from judges, particularly around arguments that the exchange may have remained solvent at certain points.
In the latest filing, Bankman Fried points to the absence of testimony from former FTX executives, including Ryan Salame, who faced his own criminal case. Salame was convicted on separate federal charges and later claimed that he had entered into cooperation arrangements that he believed would protect his wife from prosecution. She was subsequently charged in connection with alleged campaign finance violations. The filing suggests that testimony related to these matters could have influenced how jurors assessed credibility and intent within the broader FTX case.
Judges reviewing earlier appeals have emphasized that the core issue was not whether FTX could have recovered financially but whether customers were misled about how their funds were handled. Prosecutors argued, and jurors agreed, that customer assets were improperly diverted, contradicting assurances given to investors and users. Appellate judges have previously noted that these misrepresentations were central to the conviction regardless of balance sheet debates.
The new motion arrives as Bankman Fried continues to maintain his innocence publicly, frequently posting commentary on social media. He has framed his prosecution as politically motivated and claims he was denied a fair chance to present his defense. These statements have done little to sway officials. President Donald Trump recently indicated that he would not consider clemency in the case, effectively closing off one potential path to early release.
Legal analysts note that motions for new trials face a high bar, especially after convictions upheld through earlier stages of review. Courts generally require clear proof that newly surfaced evidence would have materially changed the jury’s verdict. For now, the filing ensures that the legal battle surrounding FTX and its former leader remains active, prolonging one of the most closely watched cases in the history of the crypto industry.
