Former FTX CEO SBF gave an interview to The New York Sun on 2/20 in prison, publicly discussing his shift in political stance for the first time. In the past, SBF was known for donating to the Democratic Party, but now he says he has become disillusioned with the party and identifies more with Republican policies. This statement comes as SBF's parents are actively lobbying the Trump administration, trying to secure a presidential pardon for him, leading some to question whether this is a self-preservation strategy. However, experts believe SBF's chances of a pardon are slim.
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ToggleSBF said he initially supported the Democratic Party to prevent a 'left turn'
In the interview, SBF said that he had supported the Democratic Party with large political donations during the 2020 US presidential election. However, he revealed that his motivation was not purely to support the Democratic Party, but rather to prevent the party from becoming the "Sanders faction", referring to the socialist policies of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
SBF candidly admitted that he began to shift towards the Republican Party after 2022: "At the time, I considered myself center-left, but I no longer think that way at all." He also criticized the Biden (Joe Biden) administration, saying its policies were highly destructive and difficult to work with, while the Republican Party's policies were "much more rational". This led him to become frustrated and disillusioned with the Democratic Party.
He previously donated 40 million USD, now SBF's parents are fighting for a pardon
In 2022, SBF donated around 40 million USD to various political figures and political action committees (PACs), hoping to influence the US government's cryptocurrency regulatory policies. However, his FTX exchange collapsed in November 2022 and he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March 2024.
Now, SBF's parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, are actively lobbying the Trump administration, hoping to secure a presidential pardon for SBF. However, the general consensus is that SBF's chances of receiving a pardon are extremely low.
The judge harshly criticized SBF's evasiveness and excuses, emphasizing that the sentence is deserved and justified
US Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who sentenced SBF to 25 years in prison last March 28th, directly stated that his crimes were extremely serious and deserved appropriate punishment.
Kaplan described SBF as evasive and making excuses, and said: "In nearly 30 years as a judge, I've never seen anything like this." This harsh criticism indicates the court's lack of leniency towards SBF, further reducing his chances of receiving a pardon.
SBF does not have the advantage of a pardon, and is unlikely to be compared to the Silk Road founder
Experts also stated that it is almost impossible for SBF to receive a pardon from Trump. They pointed out that Trump had publicly promised to pardon the Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht during the 2024 election campaign, but SBF has not received a similar political commitment from Trump, making his chances of a pardon much lower than Ulbricht's.
Furthermore, Ulbricht's sentence was much harsher than SBF's, which is a key difference between the two cases. Even if Trump is willing to pardon certain individuals, SBF may not be a priority, and experts believe he will likely still face a lengthy sentence.
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