Sam Bankman-Fried Seeks High Court Review of FTX Case and Forfeiture
Sam Bankman-Fried has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to examine his fraud conviction and an $11 billion forfeiture order connected to FTX’s failure. The government’s reply is now due Nov. 16, and the justices may decide whether to take the case in late 2026 or early 2027. His appeal challenges the exclusion of evidence about customers’ later recoveries and argues the forfeiture is an excessive fine, while prosecutors maintain the fraud occurred when customer funds were sent to Alameda Research.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s petition reached the Supreme Court within 90 days of the Second Circuit’s June 2026 denial. The government’s reply, originally due Oct. 15, was extended to Nov. 16. The Court may decide whether to hear the case in late 2026 or early 2027.
His appeal challenges the exclusion of evidence about FTX customers’ later recoveries and calls the $11 billion forfeiture an excessive fine. Prosecutors say the fraud was complete when customer funds went to Alameda Research. A former prosecutor, Mark Bini, sees a new trial as unlikely and the forfeiture issue as more consequential.
The outcome could affect FTX customers and creditors, who already received repayments based on 2022 token prices, as well as future fraud defendants facing large forfeiture orders. If the justices narrow the penalty, courts may place more weight on victims’ recoveries when assessing financial harm. If they uphold it, Bankman-Fried could face a lifelong debt and possible claims on future income. The case may also shape public confidence in how crypto collapses are resolved, though it is unlikely to restore losses tied to missed market gains.