Ryan Salame, once at the helm of FTX Digital Markets, finds himself locked in a high-stakes legal battle. Having pleaded guilty last year to campaign finance violations, Salame now seeks to withdraw that plea, arguing that the U.S. government violated its end of their agreement. The former FTX executive was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, but his conviction now stands on shaky ground.
Salame’s plea deal was meant to shield his domestic partner, Michelle Bond, from prosecution. Bond, a former congressional candidate, was also under investigation for campaign finance violations. According to Salame, prosecutors had promised not to pursue charges against Bond if he accepted guilt. But despite this agreement, Bond now faces new indictments, igniting Salame’s plea withdrawal effort.
In court filings, Salame’s lawyers describe the situation as coercive, claiming he was manipulated into pleading guilty under false assurances. They are pushing for his conviction to be vacated or for a hearing to address the broken promises. Salame, deeply affected by the developments, shared his fears on social media, expressing concern for his loved ones and the justice system’s fragility.
The stakes are incredibly high. Salame’s legal fate could pivot from scheduled incarceration on October 13 to a full trial, should the court rule in his favor. His plea withdrawal could also further complicate the already tumultuous legal fallout from FTX’s dramatic collapse in 2022. Meanwhile, the disgraced founder of FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, is serving a 25-year prison sentence after a separate fraud conviction.
