Advocates for Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried, who is set to be sentenced on March 28 after being convicted on seven felony counts, have appealed for leniency for the former FTX CEO.
In letters submitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on March 26, five individuals urged Judge Lewis Kaplan to impose a light sentence on SBF. The letters, written by people who either knew Bankman-Fried personally or were affected by the collapse of FTX, emphasized SBF’s vegan lifestyle, his experience with autism, and the exchange’s plan to reimburse users.
Dr. Adam Hesterberg, who resided with SBF from 2012 to 2014, argued that the former FTX CEO should receive “leniency in his sentence,” citing their decision to convert half of their household to vegetarianism or veganism. Other individuals who were not acquainted with the CEO personally suggested that Judge Kaplan take into account Bankman-Fried’s unique “personality traits” both inside and outside the courtroom.
“I can attest from personal experience that the thought process of individuals on the autism spectrum is distinct,” stated Maria Centrella, a mother of an autistic child. “Although I have never met Sam, I firmly believe that despite being an MIT graduate, he did not fully comprehend the magnitude of the situation and did not harbor malicious intentions.”
Prosecutors have proposed a sentence of 40 to 50 years for Bankman-Fried’s involvement in the misuse of funds at FTX and Alameda Research. Conversely, SBF’s legal team recommended a sentence of 6.5 years behind bars. Judge Kaplan has the discretion to sentence SBF for up to 110 years, but many consider this outcome to be unlikely.
In February, Bankman-Fried’s immediate family and other individuals submitted similar character references to the judge, arguing that imprisoning him would be “draconian” and pose a physical threat due to his personality. However, many of these letters fail to address the impact of the FTX collapse on investors, who lost access to millions of dollars.
“SBF should not be given leniency for his crimes based on the ‘autism defense’,” stated Lucas Gates, AutismBC Director, in a post on February 28. “He was aware that what he did was fraudulent, and he should spend the rest of his life in prison.”
Bankman-Fried has been in detention since August 2023 when Judge Kaplan revoked his bail following alleged attempts to influence or intimidate witnesses in his criminal case. In November, a jury found Bankman-Fried guilty on all seven counts after a month-long trial.
According to Inner City Press and X Hall of Flame, it is anticipated that Alex Mashinsky, who is considered to be less flamboyant, will receive a shorter prison sentence than SBF.