{"id":18201,"date":"2025-11-21T03:46:35","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T02:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wsj-crypto.com\/?p=18201"},"modified":"2025-11-21T03:46:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T02:46:35","slug":"former-prosecutor-refutes-claim-of-no-charges-for-ftx-execs-partner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wsj-crypto.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/21\/former-prosecutor-refutes-claim-of-no-charges-for-ftx-execs-partner\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Prosecutor Refutes Claim of No Charges for FTX Exec\u2019s Partner"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Danielle Sassoon, one of the US attorneys leading the case against former FTX CEO Sam \u201cSBF\u201d Bankman-Fried, recently took the stand in an evidentiary hearing concerning a deal with a company executive.<\/p>\n

During a hearing on Thursday at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Sassoon talked about Ryan Salame, the ex-co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, who pleaded guilty and is now facing over seven years behind bars.<\/p>\n

According to reports from Inner City Press, Sassoon mentioned<\/a> that her team would likely not dig deeper into Salame’s actions if he agreed to his guilty plea. However, further investigation involving him and his then-girlfriend, Michelle Bond, led to Bond facing campaign finance charges.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not in the business of gotcha or tricking people into pleading guilty,\u201d Sassoon explained<\/a>, while discussing the charges against Bond that came after Salame’s plea.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_vWUlHcMK1E[\/embed><\/p>\n

Bond, one of the last figures linked to the criminal cases of former FTX executives, is trying to get her charges dismissed by claiming<\/a> that prosecutors \u201cinduced a guilty plea\u201d from Salame. If her case ends, it would likely close the chapter on the criminal charges that began when FTX filed for bankruptcy in November 2022.<\/p>\n

Related: <\/strong><\/em>Three years after FTX\u2019s collapse, creditors are waiting as the industry works to regain trust<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

She has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy involving unlawful campaign contributions, excessive campaign contributions, and other related offenses.<\/p>\n

The charges are linked to Salame allegedly directing $400,000 from FTX connected to Bond\u2019s 2022 campaign for a US House seat.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been three years since FTX collapsed\u2026 who\u2019s in prison?<\/h2>\n

Salame began his seven-and-a-half-year sentence<\/a> in October 2024. Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, pleaded guilty and started serving a two-year term in November 2024.<\/p>\n

Two more executives, Nishad Singh and Gary Wang, also admitted guilt and received sentences of time served.<\/p>\n

As for Bankman-Fried, things are still unfolding. The former CEO has been in jail<\/a> since August 2023, after a judge revoked his bail due to witness intimidation claims. He was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to 25 years, making headlines in the crypto and blockchain community.<\/p>\n