Sam Bankman-Fried Returns to X Amid FTT Token Surge and Pardon Speculation

Sam Bankman-Fried has reemerged on the social media platform X, marking his first public appearance since January 2023. His return coincided with a significant surge in the value of FTX’s exchange token, FTT, which rose by over 29% before stabilizing.

In a series of posts, Bankman-Fried shared his thoughts on recent mass layoffs by the U.S. government under President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. These layoffs have impacted approximately 95,000 employees, with more expected. He drew parallels to his own management challenges, emphasizing that employees are often blameless when internal issues lead to redundancies.

Currently serving a 25-year sentence for one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history, Bankman-Fried is seeking a pardon from President Trump. His efforts come amid Trump’s pro-crypto stance, as seen in the pardon of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. Additionally, he is appealing for a mistrial, citing prosecutorial overreach during the Biden administration.

Despite his efforts, prediction markets indicate only a 3% chance of a pardon from Trump within the first 100 days of his term. Bankman-Fried’s political ties are notable, having been a major donor to the Biden campaign in the 2020 election.