Sam Bankman-Fried’s defense team, in a court filing on Tuesday, asked the U.S. court to contemplate a sentence spanning 63 to 78 months.
The lawyers argue that “an appropriate method of arriving at a just sentence” would be to consider an adjusted offense level based on “zero loss,” which would lead to “an advisory Guidelines range of 63-78 months.”
Bankman-Fried’s defense team deemed the suggested 100-year sentence in the Presentence Investigation Report as “grotesque” and raised objections to various aspects of the report, including the assessment that $10 billion was an unreasonable estimate of losses in the bankruptcy.
The court filing emphasized Bankman-Fried’s background, ethical values, and dedication to philanthropy, and argued that his actions were never driven by greed or a desire for status.
The filing contended that a sentence lasting decades would deprive Sam of the opportunity to lead a purposeful life and continue contributing to society’s most vulnerable.
Last year, Bankman-Fried was convicted by a New York jury for deceiving investors of FTX and Alameda Research, in what prosecutors labeled “one of the most significant financial scams in U.S. history.”
“Those who know Sam see someone who ‘cares deeply about other people.’ Who exhibits ‘kindness and loyalty.’ Whose ‘heart [is] in the right place.’ Someone who ‘has always been dedicated to doing good in the world.’” the filing said. Bankman-Fried is anticipated to receive sentencing from the U.S. court next month.
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