Judge rejects SBF new trial bid as waste of judicial resources
Sam Bankman-Fried's motion for a retrial and request for recusal have been denied by Judge Lewis Kaplan, who characterised the filing as a premeditated strategy to rebrand his image rather than a genuine legal challenge.
US District Judge Lewis Kaplan has formally denied former crypto executive Sam Bankman-Fried's motion for a new trial, ruling that granting the request would constitute a huge waste of judicial resources. The decision also dismisses Bankman-Fried's accompanying request for the judge to recuse himself from the case.
In his order, Judge Kaplan rejected the core arguments presented by the FTX founder, specifically the assertion that the Biden administration intimidated witnesses. The judge noted that the individuals cited by Bankman-Fried were known to him throughout the original proceedings and that his theory of government retaliation is entirely contradicted by the court record.
Kaplan further dismissed claims that Bankman-Fried was a political victim, describing his attempt to rebrand as a Republican as a premeditated strategy designed to improve his reputation and potentially secure a pardon from Donald Trump. The judge highlighted that Bankman-Fried had drafted a plan in a Google Doc prior to his indictment to position himself against the "woke agenda," a strategy the defendant has followed to a remarkable degree since his incarceration.
The ruling also addresses the credibility of witness Ryan Salame, who pleaded guilty and now claims he lied on the stand. Kaplan stated that accepting Salame's current assertions would mean he lied under oath when pleading guilty before the court, noting that the witness's out-of-court statements could not clear the high bar required to warrant a new trial.
Beyond the specific claims, the judge emphasised that allowing Bankman-Fried to withdraw his motion without prejudice would risk future resource waste if he were to re-file after the appeal concluded. To prevent overburdening the justice system, Kaplan deemed it necessary to deny the motion outright rather than permit a conditional withdrawal.
This decision comes as an appeal regarding Bankman-Fried's 2024 conviction remains pending in another court. The judge agreed with the robust opposition filed by the Trump administration's Department of Justice, which characterised the FTX founder's attempt to claim political victimhood as incoherent.
