Lawyers for Sam Bankman-Fried in lengthy memo request “a sentence that returns Sam promptly to a productive role in society”
For a number of reasons, I always find white-collar sentencings to be fasciniating, and the scheduled sentencing next month of Sam Bankman-Fried is already fitting that characterization. The latest development in the run-up to the March 28 sentencing comes in the form of SBF’s lawyers submitting late yesterday this 90-page sentencing memo. This document assails many aspects of how the probation office calculated the applicable guideline range and makes an array of arguments based on all the 3553(a) sentencing factors. This lengthy document concludes with this paragraph that is titled “Sam Bankman-Fried’s Sentencing Request”:
Sam Bankman-Fried respectfully submits that, for the reasons set forth above, an appropriate method of arriving at a just sentence would be to consider the Adjusted Offense Level (Subtotal) of 56, reduced by 30 levels based on zero loss, which yields an advisory Guidelines range of 63-78 months. When the § 3553(a) factors are considered, including Sam’s charitable works and demonstrated commitment to others, a sentence that returns Sam promptly to a productive role in society would be sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to comply with the purposes of sentencing.
Here are a variety of press accounts of this sentencing filing and some related SBF activity:
From Business Insider, “Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyer says sentencing the FTX founder to a 100-year prison term would be ‘grotesque’ and ‘barbaric’“
From CoinPedia, “SBF Fights for Crypto Fraud Leniency: 6 Years vs. 110?“
From the New York Times, “Sam Bankman-Fried Makes His Last Stand: Since the disgraced crypto mogul was convicted of fraud, his supporters have maneuvered to secure a lenient sentence, with his lawyers recommending he serve no longer than 6.5 years in prison”
From the Wall Street Journal, “Sam Bankman-Fried Calls for Shorter Prison Sentence, Citing Autism: Lawyers for the FTX founder say he wasn’t motivated by greed but by a desire to better the world through philanthropic giving”
Prior related posts: