TLDR
- Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal team presents oral arguments for a new trial in Manhattan on November 4, 2025.
- His lawyers filed a court document in September 2024 alleging that he was presumed guilty before his conviction.
- The defense argues that the district court showed little objectivity and made scathing comments that undermined its case.
- Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted of criminal fraud charges in November 2022 for his role as CEO of FTX.
- Several former associates, including Gary Wang, Nishad Singh and Caroline Ellison, testified against him during the trial.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal team will present oral arguments in Manhattan on Tuesday, November 4. The former FTX founder is seeking a new trial nearly two years after his fraud conviction. His lawyers claim the disgraced crypto executive faced a biased court during the original proceedings.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyers say trial was biased
Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyers filed a court document in September 2024 outlining the grounds for his appeal. They argue that the former cryptocurrency executive was “presumed guilty” before his conviction. The defense claims the district court showed little objectivity throughout the proceedings.
The court filing alleges the judge made scathing comments that undermined the defense team. According to the document, the judge mocked Sam Bankman-Fried’s testimony during the previous hearing. These actions occurred in front of the jury, potentially influencing their decision.
Lawyers claim the court gutted their clients’ defenses during the trial. They claim the judge showed bias against the defense attorney throughout the case. The filing suggests this deal prevented a fair trial for the former FTX CEO.
Original details of conviction and sentence
Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted of criminal fraud charges in November 2022. The conviction was related to his role as CEO of the collapsed crypto exchange FTX. Several former associates testified against him during the month-long trial.
Gary Wang, FTX’s technical director, provided testimony during the process. Nishad Singh, the platform’s former head of engineering, also testified against his former boss. Caroline Ellison, former executive director of Alameda Research, also provided testimony.
The court sentenced Sam Bankman-Fried to 25 years in federal prison in 2024. He orchestrated a massive scheme that drained FTX investors of $8 billion. The sentence reflects the scale of digital asset fraud.
Political claims arise before the hearing
Last month a post appeared on Sam Bankman-Fried’s official GETTR account. The publication alleged that the Biden administration attacked him for political reasons. He claims authorities arrested him to prevent his testimony before Congress.
The GETTR post claims that Sam Bankman-Fried was working on a crypto bill. Authorities arrested him weeks before the bill was scheduled to be voted on, according to the publication. The arrest occurred the night before his scheduled testimony before Congress.
The publication suggests that the SEC and DOJ acted against him on anti-crypto grounds. However, it is not yet clear whether these arguments will succeed in court. The authenticity and legal merit of these claims await judicial review.
