Senate declares no pardon for FTX's Bankman-Fried in rare bipartisan vote

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution opposing any form of clemency for convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, sending a clear warning to the White House. According to CoinDesk, the nonbinding resolution states that Bankman-Fried should “under no circumstances” receive a pardon or commutation.

The resolution, introduced by Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ruben Gallego, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee’s digital assets subcommittee, came after Bankman-Fried personally requested clemency, CoinDesk reported. The move follows former President Donald Trump’s recent pardons of other major crypto figures such as Changpeng Zhao and Ross Ulbricht.

Crypto Briefing reported that the Senate’s unanimous stance signals a strong bipartisan commitment to holding financial fraudsters accountable, which could reverberate through future crypto regulation. Though nonbinding, the resolution carries political weight as a formal objection from both parties.

Crypto BriefingUS Senate unanimously passes resolution opposing clemency for Sam Bankman-Fried

“In a rare show of absolute consensus”

The cryptotimes described the vote as a “rare show of absolute consensus” that draws a hard line against any potential executive clemency. The Senate’s unified action highlights the lasting bipartisan anger over the FTX collapse, which wiped out billions in customer funds.

The resolution, designated S. Res. 772, serves as a formal objection to any commutation of Bankman-Fried’s 25-year sentence for fraud and conspiracy. The Senate has made clear that it expects the executive branch to respect its opposition to leniency for the disgraced founder.