What to know:
- The U.S. Senate unanimously opposed clemency for Bankman-Fried in its July 15 vote.
- S.Res.772 carries political weight but cannot restrict presidential clemency powers.
- Bankman-Fried is serving 25 years after his 2023 fraud and conspiracy convictions.
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution opposing Sam Bankman-Fried clemency on July 15, 2026. The action placed the chamber on record against a pardon or sentence commutation. Senators adopted the measure by unanimous consent, with no recorded objection.
The U.S. Senate Daily Press confirmed the passage of S.Res.772. The resolution calls for denying any pardon or sentence reduction to the former FTX executive. It says that position would support the rule of law and protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system.
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Why Senators Oppose Sam Bankman-Fried Clemency
This legislation cannot limit the presidential clemency powers granted by Article II of the Constitution. Therefore, the resolution cannot stop a president from granting Sam Bankman-Fried clemency. However, this vote is a clear bipartisan objection in the Senate.
The resolution was submitted by Senators Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming on June 17. These two senators are the ranking members in the Senate Banking Committee’s digital assets subcommittee. Both lawmakers demanded that Bankman-Fried take responsibility for his actions.
Lummis pointed out that Bankman-Fried got his day in court. She stressed that a jury found him guilty even before the judge gave him his punishment. Gallego stated that the former executive ruined millions of Americans and showed no remorse.
In November 2023, a federal jury convicted Bankman-Fried on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. These counts involved schemes with the FTX customers, lenders, and equity investors. Prosecutors described the crash of the exchange as the biggest financial fraud in American history.
In March 2024, Judge Lewis Kaplan sentenced him to spend 25 years in prison. The judge further ordered the forfeiture of $11 billion and three years of supervised release.
According to prosecutors, customers from America lost more than $8 billion due to criminal activities associated with FTX and Alameda Research.
What Trump Said About Bankman-Fried Clemency
Sam Bankman-Fried continues to use legal channels to fight against his sentencing. Furthermore, he applied for a pardon through the Office of the Pardon Attorney of the Justice Department. According to reports in June, the clemency application for Sam Bankman-Fried was under consideration.
The larger controversy surrounding the Sam Bankman-Fried clemency comes after other clemency cases involving famous crypto figures.
In January 2025, the president pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road. Subsequently, he pardoned the founder of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, in October 2025.
President Trump said in January 2026 that he had no intention of pardoning the FTX founder. Subsequently, the White House referred to these public statements made by Trump. However, the president is solely responsible for either granting or denying Sam Bankman-Fried clemency.
The Senate resolution holds political power even if it holds no legal binding. This resolution was unanimously passed, and therefore there was no objection to opposing a pardon or sentence commutation. The vote also reflected bipartisan agreement on Sam Bankman-Fried clemency.
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