US authorities oppose former FTX executive's request to withdraw plea agreement
The U.S. Attorney's Office is opposing a request by former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame to rescind her plea agreement. Salame pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison. His attorney applied to rescind the agreement, saying prosecutors had hinted during negotiations that they would not investigate Salame's significant other Michelle Bond. However, on August 22, authorities filed a new indictment against Bond, charging her with campaign finance violations.
Salame argued that he had pleaded guilty to the government's promise not to investigate Bond, a charge the filing said was "manifestly false." Salame also faces a fine and restitution of about $6 million.
Salame is scheduled to be jailed on October 13 and could face a full criminal trial if the court accepts his request to vacate it. Salame did not testify in the trial of former FTX chief executive Sam "SBF" Bankman-Fried, while former FTX executives Nishad Singh and Gary Wang have pleaded guilty and testified. Bankman-Fried has been sentenced to 25 years in prison and Ellison's sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.