Ex-prosecutor Denies Promising To not Cost FTX Exec’s Companion

Danielle Sassoon, one of many US attorneys behind the prosecution of former FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried, took the stand in an evidentiary listening to involving a take care of one of many firm’s executives. 

In a Thursday listening to within the US District Court docket for the Southern District of New York, Sassoon testified in regards to the responsible plea of Ryan Salame, the previous co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, which resulted in his sentencing to greater than seven years in jail. 

In accordance with reporting from Inside Metropolis Press, Sassoon mentioned that her staff would “most likely not proceed to research [Salame’s] conduct” if he agreed to plead responsible. Additional investigation into the previous FTX government and his then-girlfriend, Michelle Bond, resulted within the latter going through marketing campaign finance expenses.

“I’m not within the enterprise of gotcha or tricking individuals into pleading responsible,” mentioned Sassoon, referring to Bond being charged after Salame’s plea. 

Bond, one of many remaining figures tied to the prison instances involving former FTX executives, has been making an attempt to have her expenses dismissed primarily based on claims that prosecutors “induced a responsible plea” from Salame. The tip of her case would probably mark the ultimate chapter in prison expenses that started when FTX filed for chapter in November 2022.

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She pleaded not responsible to expenses of conspiracy to trigger illegal marketing campaign contributions, inflicting and accepting extreme marketing campaign contributions, inflicting and receiving an illegal company contribution and inflicting and receiving a conduit contribution.

The fees are carefully tied to Salame allegedly ordering $400,000 in funds related to FTX, which was used for Bond’s 2022 marketing campaign for a seat within the US Home of Representatives.

It’s been three years since FTX collapsed… who’s in jail?

Salame reported for his seven-and-a-half-year jail sentence in October 2024. Caroline Ellison, the previous CEO of Alameda Analysis, pleaded responsible and started serving a two-year sentence in November 2024.

Two different former executives named within the indictment, Nishad Singh and Gary Wang, pleaded responsible and obtained sentences of time served.

For Bankman-Fried, nonetheless, the saga is ongoing. The previous CEO has been behind bars since August 2023, when a decide revoked his bail over allegations of witness intimidation. He was later tried, discovered responsible and sentenced to 25 years in jail as a part of proceedings carefully monitored by many within the crypto and blockchain trade.