Sam Bankman-Fried has withdrawn his new trial motion in the FTX fraud case, but he is still asking for a different judge. The former FTX CEO made that clear in a filing submitted on Wednesday in federal court in New York.
The filing came after Judge Lewis Kaplan asked whether Sam Bankman-Fried had help from lawyers in preparing an earlier pro se request. A pro se filing is one a person submits on their own, without formal legal representation. That question followed concerns from prosecutors about whether the former crypto executive had truly filed the request by himself.
Even though Sam Bankman-Fried dropped the Rule 33 motion for now, his broader legal fight is still moving forward. His appeal remains active, and so does his request to have a different judge handle any future motion tied to a new trial.
Sam Bankman-Fried Withdraws New Trial Motion in FTX Case
In his latest letter, Sam Bankman-Fried said he wrote the document himself. However, he also said he spoke with his parents because the matter involved them too. He wrote, “I am the author of this letter, but did consult with my parents about it, since it concerns both of them.”
That statement responded directly to the court’s question. The issue started after Barbara Fried, his mother, sent a letter to the court on his behalf. She did not have formal standing in the case, so that raised more scrutiny around the earlier filing and whether outside help was involved.
After addressing that point, Sam Bankman-Fried asked to withdraw the new trial motion. He wrote, “As I have had to focus on responding to these questions rather than drafting a response to the prosecution’s opposition, and because I do not believe I will get a fair hearing on this topic in front of you, I am now requesting to withdraw the Rule 33 motion, without prejudice to renewing it after my direct appeal and the related request for reassignment have been ruled upon.”
Sam Bankman-Fried Keeps Judge Lewis Kaplan Challenge Alive
Although the new trial motion has been pulled, Sam Bankman-Fried did not end his challenge against Judge Lewis Kaplan. Earlier, in February, he asked for a different judge to rule on the matter. In that request, he claimed Kaplan showed “extreme prejudice.”
That request for reassignment is still pending. In other words, Sam Bankman-Fried is no longer pushing the court to decide on a new trial right now, but he is still trying to change who could oversee that issue later. Therefore, one part of the case paused, while another part stayed active.
His direct appeal also remains before the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The latest filing did not change that process. So, while the Rule 33 motion is off the table for now, the appeal and the judge dispute continue in parallel.
FTX Fraud Case and Sam Bankman-Fried Appeal Still Move Forward
The legal background remains central. Sam Bankman-Fried, once one of the best-known figures in crypto, led FTX before the exchange collapsed. He was later convicted in the FTX fraud case over the misuse of customer funds.
In 2023, a jury found him guilty on fraud-related charges. Later, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. According to the latest court-related reporting, he is being held at Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc I, in California.
The appeal is now one of the main legal paths left in the case. At the same time, the withdrawn new trial motion leaves open the option of a future filing. Because it was withdrawn without prejudice, Sam Bankman-Fried may raise the issue again after the appeal and judge reassignment request are decided.
Sam Bankman-Fried, Trump Pardon Talk, and Trial Claims
The case has also drawn attention because of discussion around a possible pardon. Since entering prison, Sam Bankman-Fried has made public comments in interviews and on social media that signaled interest in seeking help from Donald Trump.
His earlier court filings also included claims about how prosecutors handled the case. In one filing, he said the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden had “threatened multiple witnesses into silence or into changing their testimony.” That accusation became part of his broader argument about the fairness of the trial.
Still, public comments from Trump did not support that possibility. In a January interview with The New York Times, Trump said he had no intention of pardoning the former FTX CEO. So, for now, the main legal focus remains on the Sam Bankman-Fried appeal, the judge reassignment request, and the withdrawn but not fully closed new trial motion.
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Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.
📅 Published: April 23, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: April 23, 2026
