Sam Bankman-Fried files appeal for felony conviction

Lawyers representing former cryptocurrency exchange FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried have filed a long-anticipated appeal for his conviction on seven felony counts and his 25-year prison sentence.

In a Sept. 13 filing in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, SBF’s lawyers filed a 102-page brief claiming that the former FTX CEO was “never presumed innocent,” subject to scrutiny that allegedly affected prosecutors, the presiding judge, and treatment by the media. Bankman-Fried’s legal team announced in April — a few weeks after a federal judge sentenced him to 25 years in prison — that they intended to appeal.

“From day one, the prevailing narrative—initially spun by the lawyers who took over FTX, quickly adopted by their contacts at the US Attorney’s Office— was that Bankman-Fried had stolen billions of dollars of customer funds, driven FTX to insolvency, and caused billions in losses,” said the appeal. “Now, nearly two years later, a very different picture is emerging—one confirming FTX was never insolvent, and in fact had assets worth billions to repay its customers. But the jury at Bankman-Fried’s trial never got to see that picture.”

This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.