Sam Bankman-Fried Withdraws New Trial Bid as Appeal Continues

Sam Bankman-Fried has withdrawn his federal Rule 33 motion seeking a new trial, according to a filing in New York’s Southern District of New York. He said he could refile after his appeal is decided. The case is still active at the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where his 2023 fraud conviction and 25-year sentence are being challenged. The latest move followed Judge Lewis Kaplan’s questions about whether Sam Bankman-Fried received attorney help in preparing a pro se filing and related submissions. Prosecutors raised concerns that the motion may not have been independently prepared. Additional issues came after Barbara Fried, Bankman-Fried’s mother, sent a supportive letter to the court, even though she has no formal legal standing. Bankman-Fried said he authored the letter but consulted his parents since it involved family matters. He argued that preparation distractions and his belief he would not receive a fair hearing before Judge Kaplan justified withdrawing the motion “without prejudice.” A separate request to reassign the judge, citing “extreme prejudice,” remains unresolved. Separately, ongoing speculation about a potential presidential pardon continues. Reports say Donald Trump previously said he has no plans to pardon him. Sam Bankman-Fried is currently serving his sentence in Lompoc, California.