The US government recently responded to former FTX executive Ryan Salame’s attempt to void his guilty plea. Salame claims that his plea was based on false promises from prosecutors regarding their investigation into his partner, Michelle Bond. However, the US Attorney’s Office labeled Salame’s allegations as “demonstrably false” in a recent filing. They emphasized that the charges against Bond are separate and ongoing.
After being sentenced to 90 months in prison for campaign finance violations and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, Salame filed a petition on Aug. 21. He sought to dismiss Bond’s indictment or vacate his conviction, arguing that prosecutors implied they would not investigate Bond further during his plea negotiations. Salame’s legal team filed a writ of “error coram nobis,” claiming that his guilty plea was influenced by misrepresentations from the government.
The government refuted Salame’s claims, stating that his guilty plea and the charges against Bond cover different aspects of the alleged criminal activities. They outlined their response in a letter to Judges George B. Daniels and Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York on Aug. 26. The prosecutors reiterated that the indictment against Bond, unsealed on Aug. 22, involves separate charges, referring to it as the “Bond Case.”
Salame’s petition has the potential to lead to a reassessment of his plea agreement. This agreement required him to pay $6 million in penalties and an additional $6 million to FTX debtors. If the court rules in favor of Salame, he could face a full criminal trial, significantly altering the course of his legal battle. The court hearing for Salame’s petition is scheduled for Sept. 12 before Judge Kaplan, where both sides will present their arguments.
Despite Salame’s plea, the government has made it clear that they intend to continue investigating Bond. The charges against her involve conspiring to cause and causing unlawful campaign contributions during her 2022 congressional run. The outcome of Salame’s petition could have broad implications for both his conviction and Bond’s prosecution. The legal wrangling comes at a crucial time as Salame is set to report to prison on Oct. 13, following a brief delay due to medical complications.
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