Lawyers Criticize Proposed 'Death-In-Prison' Sentence for Sam Bankman-Fried

By: Eva Baxter

Lawyers representing Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), have sharply criticized the US Department of Justice's proposed 50 years imprisonment sentencing. The defense team termed this proposal as 'disturbing' and 'marked with hostility', arguing that the DOJ's memorandum distorts reality to support its loss narrative and depicts SBF as a villain. They further highlighted the neglect of SBF's condition and vulnerabilities, branding the proposed sentencing as an attempt to break SBF, given that no federal defendant convicted of a non-violent offense has served a 40-50 year sentence and was released.

In a bid to advocate for reduced sentencing, SBF's legal team mounted a range of arguments. They countered that there were no tangible losses as the bankruptcy proceedings would ensure full restitution to all customers and lenders. They challenged the prosecution’s portrayal of Bankman-Fried as being motivated by greed, emphasizing his philanthropic efforts, and disputed the government's claim that Bankman-Fried posed a significant risk of re-offending, citing low rates of recidivism among similar individuals. The defense proposed a reduced sentence of 78 months, equivalent to 6.5 years, for their client.

This case draws attention as a federal judge will now determine the length of SBF’s sentence, with arguments filed from the Department of Justice, defense attorneys, and statements from FTX creditors and Bankman-Fried's family and friends.