SBF in prison expresses regret over missing the AI wave, "absolutely hopes" to receive a presidential pardon, and denies embezzling user funds

Mars Finance News, on June 8, the convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) said in a recent interview at a federal prison that he hopes to receive a U.S. presidential pardon. When asked whether he would like to be granted a pardon by the White House, SBF replied, “Absolutely hope so, but ultimately the decision is in the president’s hands.” Regarding whether his parents or other relatives are lobbying the government on his behalf, SBF said, “It’s inconvenient for me to speak on their behalf.”

In March 2024, SBF was sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud related to FTX’s collapse in 2022. The court found that FTX users suffered losses of about $8 billion, equity investors lost $1.7 billion, and Alameda Research creditors lost approximately $1.3 billion.

However, in the interview, SBF again denied misappropriating user funds, and said that as the crypto market recovers, FTX users have currently received about 170% in compensation. He said, “Customers have not only been fully compensated, but also received returns exceeding the amount of their deposits. I believe my prosecution is unjust.”

In addition, SBF said he regrets missing the AI wave and added that if he could be out of prison, he hopes to continue participating in the development of AI. He also praised Elon Musk’s business capabilities and said that SpaceX has enormous growth potential and is one of the few companies capable of playing an important role in the space industry.