After a 2023 conviction, a 2026 appeal denial and a pending petition for a presidential pardon, former FTX chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried is asking the United States Supreme Court to review his criminal case. His attorney, Jeffrey Fisher of Hecker Fink LLP, told Cointelegraph that the petition for a writ of certiorari must be filed within 90 days of the Second Circuit’s decision, a deadline that has already been extended once, from Oct. 15 to Nov. 16. If the Court grants review, a ruling could come before the end of its current term in June 2027 or in the next term beginning in 2028.

Bankman-Fried was found guilty on seven felony fraud counts tied to the misappropriation of customer funds when FTX collapsed in November 2022. He received a 25‑year prison sentence and a $11 billion forfeiture order. His petition argues that the forfeiture violates the Eighth Amendment’s excessive‑fines clause and that the lower courts improperly treated evidence of victim loss as irrelevant. Fisher contends that the Supreme Court has historically been wary of prosecutorial overreach in fraud prosecutions, raising a question of prejudice to his client.

The legal argument diverges from a 2025 precedent in which the Court upheld long prison terms for misrepresentation‑based fraud even when no pecuniary harm occurred. Instead, Bankman-Fried’s team cites a 2007 First Circuit decision that emphasized a defendant’s intent to ensure customers suffered no financial loss. A former federal prosecutor now at Reed Smith, Mark Bini, told Cointelegraph that while a new trial appears unlikely, the size of the forfeiture makes the issue “really interesting” and could lead to a reduction rather than a full reversal.

If the Court accepts the forfeiture challenge but rejects the claim that Bankman-Fried could present evidence of repayment, Bini predicts the penalty might be trimmed. The forfeiture could also haunt him after release, as any future earnings would be subject to government claims, leaving him with what Fisher described as “maybe he gets to keep a dime.”

Separately, former Alameda Research chief executive Caroline Ellison, who served a prison term as part of a plea deal, has begun working at Manifund, a charitable organization linked to the effective altruism movement. She started a work trial on July 13, 2024 and was hired full‑time on Aug. 10, 2024. Manifund co‑founder Austin Chen said he believes in redemption and wants to give Ellison a chance to contribute, while critics on social media have condemned the hiring as poor judgment.

The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment.