Although serving a 25-year prison sentence, SBF is still trying to turn the situation around, but will his intentions be effective or just a desperate move?

Sam Bankman-Fried has a new statement from behind bars. Image: ezone

Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the founder of the FTX exchange, has once again caused a stir in public opinion through an unexpected interview with Tucker Carlson from behind bars.

Sam Bankman-Fried is doing 25 years behind bars, and is now sharing a cell block with Diddy. He joins us from prison for an update on his new life.

(0:00) What Has Prison Been Like?
(2:28) Was SBF Ever on Adderall?
(4:42) SBF Meeting Diddy in Prison
(7:01) How Prison Has Changed… pic.twitter.com/mNSNktLibg

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 6, 2025

In the over-an-hour-long conversation, SBF defended himself, criticized the US legal system, and expressed disappointment with the Joe Biden administration.

This is the second time SBF has spoken out since being sentenced to 25 years in prison, but the first time he has appeared on camera from jail. The interview also led to the resignation of Mark Botnick - the crisis management expert who had been working with SBF.

"I don't think I'm a criminal"

In the conversation with Carlson, SBF insisted that he is not a criminal, he never intended to commit fraud, and the collapse of FTX was just an unfortunate accident, not a deliberate plot. He declared:

"I don't think I'm a criminal."

SBF did not hesitate to criticize the way FTX's assets were handled after the bankruptcy, claiming the exchange had the ability to recover if not interfered with. He argued that instead of letting FTX recover, the bankruptcy trustees "squandered tens of billions of dollars in assets" and turned the incident into a "massive disaster".

When asked about the state of crime in the crypto industry, SBF compared the current market to the situation 10 years ago, showing that the crime rate has decreased significantly compared to the time when Bit was still associated with black market platforms like Silk Road.

Shifting political axis and efforts to seek clemency

One of the highlights of the interview was Sam's political shift. Previously, he was known as a billionaire pursuing "effective altruism" and was the top donor to the Democratic Party, contributing tens of millions of dollars to President Joe Biden's election campaign.

However, SBF revealed that at the time of FTX's collapse, he had a better relationship with the Republican Party than the opposition. SBF said that in 2020, he still believed in a strong center-left government and had funded Biden's campaign. However, what he received in return was disappointment with the direction of this administration.

He did not hide his disappointment with the Biden administration, especially the way SEC Chairman Gary Gensler managed the crypto industry. SBF accused Gensler of having great political ambitions and wanting to use the crypto industry to enhance his personal reputation in order to have a chance to become Treasury Secretary. According to SBF:

"Power. Who doesn't like it? He's no exception. There are a lot of stories about his big political ambitions and wanting to be on TV as much as possible, to get appointed as Treasury Secretary."

These statements led the public to believe that SBF is trying to seek clemency from President Donald Trump. This intention became clearer when he mentioned the case of pardoning Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, who was recently pardoned by Trump in his first term.

In late February, Sam argued that his case was part of the "abuse of prosecutorial power" under the Biden administration, citing a common enemy to seek a pardon from Trump.

When Carlson mentioned the possibility of a pardon, SBF did not deny it, saying that if nothing changes, he will be released from prison around the age of 50. This answer did not directly confirm his goal, but also did not deny that he is trying to attract the attention of the Republican Party.

Consequences and the departure of the communications advisor

This unexpected interview not only caused controversy, but also led to the departure of Mark Botnick, the crisis management expert who had been working with SBF since the FTX collapse. Citing a source from Business Insider, Botnick said he was unaware of this interview before it appeared online.

This is not the first time SBF has taken unexpected actions. He previously posted on X on the morning of 25/02 about the Trump administration wanting to fire federal employees, making it difficult for his communications team.

SBF has also previously gotten himself into trouble by providing an ex-girlfriend's diary to a journalist, resulting in him being temporarily detained to prevent witness tampering.

What future for Sam Bankman-Fried?

After all, Sam Bankman-Fried remains one of the most notorious figures in the crypto industry. Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year prison sentence for 7 counts of fraud and money laundering related to the $11 billion collapse of FTX.

While serving his sentence at the Brooklyn Detention Center, he has not given up the opportunity to make shocking statements targeting the Biden administration and the financial system, while also praising the Trump empire.

However, even if the administration were to change, the prospect of changing the controllers of the US financial system is almost impossible, according to SBF's own words.

"The financial regulators are massive bureaucratic machines within the federal government. They cannot change overnight. And over the past decade, they have played a major role in obstructing Bit."

Whether or not SBF achieves his purpose, one thing is certain: this is not the last time the world will hear the name Sam Bankman-Fried.

Compiled by Coin68