Sam Bankman-Fried eyes crypto comeback from behind bars

In a conversation with fellow inmate David Bunevacz, Bankman-Fried suggested that a viable new project would require between $50 million and $100 million in startup capital. He expressed confidence that market participants would gravitate toward a new venture, although Bunevacz later noted the remark might have been made in jest. The former executive remains focused on his legal strategy, recently filing a formal request for a presidential pardon with the Trump administration on June 8.

Following the news of the pardon application, odds on the platform Polymarket for his potential release before 2027 ticked upward to approximately 14%. These efforts run parallel to a narrowing legal path; a three-judge appeals panel recently upheld his 2023 fraud and conspiracy conviction, dismissing his claims that critical evidence was improperly excluded during his initial trial. Beyond his legal filings, Bankman-Fried is currently writing a serialized memoir titled Manfred and continues to maintain his innocence regarding the diversion of billions in customer funds to Alameda Research.