Highlights:
- Ryan Salame begins prison sentence after a judge denies his request to delay due to a dog bite injury.
- The judge noted Salame appeared recovered, citing a Tucker Carlson interview where no impairment was visible.
- Salame faces seven and a half years for violating election laws; his partner, Michelle Bond, also faces related charges.
Former FTX executive Ryan Salame has commenced his seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence at FCI Cumberland in Maryland. Salame’s plea to postpone his incarceration to address medical issues stemming from a dog bite was rejected, with the court citing his apparent recovery.
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FORMER FTX EXECUTIVE RYAN SALAME BEGINS SEVEN AND A HALF YEAR PRISON SENTENCE
Ryan Salame, former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, has started serving his seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence at FCI Cumberland in Maryland.
Salame was denied a last-minute request to delay his… pic.twitter.com/KoFWSztdA2
— Mario Nawfal’s Roundtable (@RoundtableSpace) October 12, 2024
Judge Denies Delay for Dog Bite Treatment
At the eleventh hour, Salame sought to postpone his imprisonment until December 7 to receive medical care for a facial injury sustained from a dog bite over the summer. However, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the request, asserting that Salame appeared to have “substantially recovered.” The judge referenced a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, during which Salame showed no visible signs of impairment.
Moreover, prosecutors argued that the treatment Salame sought seemed “largely cosmetic and nonurgent.” They highlighted his unimpaired appearance during the interview, which was posted this week but appeared to be recorded earlier. Salame had previously been granted a delay from August to October for urgent surgery related to the same incident.
Salame Begins Sentence at FCI Cumberland
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, Salame reported to FCI Cumberland, a medium-security federal correctional institution in Maryland. The facility, which accommodates over 1,000 inmates, offers various programs and activities for prisoners.
The court sentenced Salame for conspiring to make unlawful political contributions and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. He had donated $22.6 million to Republican campaigns during the last congressional election, violating U.S. election laws.
His sentence follows the convictions of other former FTX executives, including founder Sam Bankman-Fried. SBF received a 25-year sentence for fraud and money laundering, and former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison served two years for her role in the collapse of FTX. Salame did not testify against Bankman-Fried and has consistently claimed that his former boss “duped” him.
Salame’s social media activity added to the controversy. On LinkedIn, he posted, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as an Inmate at FCI Cumberland.” On Twitter, he changed his profile picture to show himself in a prison uniform.
Ongoing Legal Battles Involving Partner
Salame’s partner, Michelle Bond, faces charges related to an alleged unlawful campaign finance scheme. Prosecutors indicted her in August for allegedly using funds from a sham consulting agreement to unlawfully finance her 2022 congressional campaign in New York’s 1st district. Prosecutors allege that Bond received $400,000 through this agreement, orchestrated by Salame, and used the funds improperly.
Salame has aggressively contested the charges against Bond, accusing prosecutors of using plea negotiations to “threaten” her. He claims that he pleaded guilty only on the promise that the government would drop its investigation into Bond. However, prosecutors have refuted this, stating there was no such agreement and that they clearly communicated that the investigation could continue.
Additionally, during his interview with Tucker Carlson, Salame criticized Judge Kaplan and the charges against him. He suggested that the judge had “grabbed all these things that just weren’t true,” including allegations about him withdrawing money before FTX filed for bankruptcy. Salame plans to teach a course on digital assets and the economy while serving his sentence. He also hopes for a presidential pardon, though he acknowledges the challenges given the political landscape.
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