Sam Bankman-Fried Sent to Solitary Confinement!

Sam Bankman-Fried Sent to Solitary Confinement!

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, has reportedly been placed in solitary confinement at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center after participating in an interview with right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson—an interview that had not been approved by prison authorities.

A representative from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed to The New York Times on March 7 that the interview was conducted without authorization. “This particular interview was not approved,” the representative stated.

Unauthorized Interview Leads to Punishment

According to a source familiar with the situation, after the interview aired on Carlson’s YouTube channel on March 6, amassing over 730,000 views, Bankman-Fried was moved to solitary confinement. The Bureau of Prisons enforces strict regulations regarding inmate communications, dictating who is permitted to interact with prisoners and under what circumstances.

During the conversation, Bankman-Fried discussed his experiences in prison and shared his perspective on cryptocurrency regulation in the United States. He also maintained that he does not see himself as a criminal.

Speculation Grows Over Possible Trump Pardon

Although Carlson did not explicitly ask whether Bankman-Fried expected a presidential pardon Donald Trump, the former FTX CEO appeared open to certain Republican viewpoints. This has fueled speculation within the crypto community about the possibility of Trump granting him clemency.

On March 7, the crypto prediction platform Polymarket noted in an X post that “the odds of an SBF pardon have nearly doubled” since the interview aired. The speculation follows Trump’s decision, just a day after taking office in January, to fully pardon Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the now-defunct darknet marketplace Silk Road, who had served 12 years in prison.

Ongoing Legal Battle

Bankman-Fried remains embroiled in a legal battle, as his legal team continues to fight his conviction and 25-year prison sentence. In September 2024, his lawyers filed a 102-page appeal, arguing that he was “never presumed innocent” and faced undue scrutiny from prosecutors, the presiding judge, and the media.

As his appeal moves forward, his latest punishment underscores the rigid restrictions imposed on high-profile inmates—especially those who, like Bankman-Fried, remain at the center of legal and political controversy.