Sam Bankman-Fried Drops New Trial Motion as FTX Portfolio Hypothetical Goes Viral

Key Takeaways:

• Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) withdrew his Rule 33 caller proceedings question connected April 22, 2026, without prejudice, preserving the close to refile aft his Second Circuit entreaty concludes.
• Viral societal media posts estimating FTX’s unliquidated portfolio would beryllium worthy $114 cardinal today, led by a 165x summation connected Anthropic.
• SBF’s entreaty and reassignment petition earlier Judge Kaplan stay active, leaving the ineligible result of the FTX lawsuit unresolved done astatine slightest 2026.

SBF Withdraws Rule 33 Motion successful SDNY, Preserves Right to Refile After Appeal

The withdrawal letter, docketed successful the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York nether Case 1:22-cr-00673-LAK, was addressed to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Bankman-Fried cited 2 reasons for the move: helium had been forced to respond to the court’s questions astir lawyer engagement alternatively of drafting a reply to prosecutors, and helium stated helium did not judge helium would person a just proceeding from Kaplan connected the matter.

The question was filed without prejudice, meaning Bankman-Fried tin refile erstwhile the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rules connected his nonstop entreaty of the condemnation and sentence, and aft a related petition to person the lawsuit reassigned to a antithetic justice is decided.

Bankman-Fried filed the archetypal Rule 33 question connected Feb. 10, 2026, done his mother, lawyer Barbara Fried, portion helium was held astatine MDC Brooklyn. The motion alleged recently discovered evidence, including claims that the Department of Justice (DOJ) withheld accusation and applied unit to witnesses, among them erstwhile FTX enforcement Ryan Salame and subordinate Daniel Chapsky. Prosecutors filed a 44-page opposition connected March 11, 2026, arguing the question contained nary morganatic caller evidence.

In a missive dated April 13, 2026, and filed from FCI Lompoc successful California, Bankman-Fried addressed Judge Kaplan’s March 23 bid requiring clarification connected who helped draught the motion. He described himself arsenic the “ultimate author,” stating helium conceived the arguments, drafted aggregate versions, and conducted astir of the ineligible probe utilizing a connection processor astatine MDC Brooklyn. He said his parents, some attorneys, offered editorial and organizational suggestions, and that a New York lawyer helium concisely retained had nary important input. He stated helium did not consult his appellate counsel.

A assemblage successful the Southern District of New York convicted Bankman-Fried successful November 2023 connected each 7 counts, including ligament fraud, securities fraud, and wealth laundering, tied to the misuse of lawsuit funds astatine FTX and its affiliated hedge fund, Alameda Research. Prosecutors called it 1 of the largest fiscal frauds successful U.S. history. He was sentenced to 25 years successful situation successful 2024.

On the aforesaid time the withdrawal was docketed, a post by crypto quality relationship Watcherguru and respective other posts from crypto-related societal media accounts, went viral connected X, drafting attraction backmost to FTX’s pre-collapse task portfolio. The station presented a hypothetical: if FTX had ne'er liquidated its investments pursuing the 2022 collapse, what would those positions beryllium worthy today?

The figures cited were significant. The station estimated FTX’s solana (SOL) stake would present beryllium valued astatine $5.1 billion, a summation of 27 times. Its SpaceX presumption was listed astatine $15 billion, a 75x return. A effect concern successful AI coding instrumentality Cursor was placed astatine $3 billion, representing a 15,000x multiple. A stake successful Robinhood was estimated astatine $4.9 billion. FTX’s aboriginal concern successful the artificial quality (AI) institution Anthropic was listed astatine $82.3 billion, a 165x return. A presumption successful Genesis Digital was placed astatine $3.5 billion. The station enactment the combined hypothetical portfolio worth astatine $114 billion.

During the FTX bankruptcy, court-appointed trustees liquidated astir of those positions astatine distressed prices to repay creditors and victims. The viral posts drew crisp responses crossed the platform. Some pointed to the aboriginal concern picks arsenic grounds of Bankman-Fried’s analytical ability. Others pushed back, noting that the funds utilized to marque those investments belonged to FTX customers and were moved without their consent.

The post’s framing captured a hostility that has followed Bankman-Fried’s lawsuit since the collapse: the aforesaid entity that defrauded customers was besides an aboriginal backer of immoderate of the highest-performing assets of the existent cycle.

Bankman-Fried besides publically sought a statesmanlike pardon from Donald Trump. No pardon has been granted oregon indicated arsenic forthcoming. His entreaty earlier the Second Circuit remains active. So does the petition for a caller judge. The withdrawal of the Rule 33 question does not impact either proceeding, and the doorway to a caller proceedings bid remains unfastened depending connected however those matters are resolved.