Politics
JJ Johnson, declared 2028 presidential candidate, is calling for a pardon of Sam Bankman-Fried. FTX creditors have been paid back at or above claim values. CZ of Binance received four months. SBF received 25 years.
NewsOnScale Staff
September 10, 2026
JJ Johnson, a declared candidate for President of the United States in the 2028 election cycle, is publicly calling for a presidential pardon of Sam Bankman-Fried if elected.
The argument is based on three documented facts: FTX creditors have been paid back at or above their claim values following the bankruptcy proceedings. Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, received a four month prison sentence for running an exchange that processed billions in illegal transactions. Bankman-Fried received 25 years.
The Creditor Recovery
The FTX bankruptcy estate has recovered assets sufficient to pay creditors at or above the dollar value of their claims at the time of the collapse. This outcome is unusual in major bankruptcy proceedings.
That does not erase what happened. Bankman-Fried was convicted by a jury on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. The conviction stands. The question Johnson is raising is whether a 25 year sentence remains proportionate when the people the fraud harmed have been compensated.
The Sentencing Disparity
Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, founded and led Binance. In November 2023 Binance pleaded guilty to federal charges including violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and failure to implement anti-money laundering programs. CZ received a four month prison sentence and paid a $4.3 billion fine. Bankman-Fried received 25 years.
The comparison is not a defense of Bankman-Fried's conduct. It is a question about proportionality.
The Presidential Pardon Power
Article II Section 2 of the United States Constitution grants the President the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. That power is absolute.
Johnson's Position
"FTX holders were made whole. There is no reason for him to rot in prison. CZ and Binance got much lighter sentences. Almost never in bankruptcy cases do the victims get made whole. SBF deserves a pardon."
Johnson is a declared candidate for President of the United States having filed with the Federal Election Commission on July 4, 2026.
DISCLOSURE: JJ Johnson is the founder of AMILLI AI, CORP, which operates NewsOnScale. He is a declared candidate for President of the United States in 2028 and the plaintiff in Case No. 1:26-cv-00197-RH-HTC.