Former FTX executive Ryan Salame is attempting to void his guilty plea, accusing federal prosecutors of breaking their promise not to investigate his fiancée, Michelle Bond, as part of his plea deal. Salame, who had previously pleaded guilty to campaign finance and money-transmitting crimes, claims that the government’s alleged breach of this agreement justifies his request for post-conviction relief.
Allegations of Broken Promises
On August 21, Salame filed a petition for a “writ of coram nobis,” which allows a court to correct its original judgment, seeking relief related to his plea deal. He asserts that during plea negotiations, the government implied it would cease investigating Bond for campaign finance violations if he agreed to plead guilty. Salame now alleges that despite this understanding, the investigation into Bond has resumed, prompting him to seek to withdraw his guilty plea or have the charges against her dismissed.
Claims of Coercion
Salame also contends that the tactics used by the prosecution during plea negotiations were improper, arguing that the use of his fiancée as leverage to secure his guilty plea was “coercive.” In his court filing, he states, “If the Government is not held to its assurances, the Court should nonetheless grant post-conviction relief because the assurances made during the plea negotiations were unlawfully coercive, and the entire plea agreement and conviction must be vacated.”
Salame is requesting that either the charges against Bond be dismissed, his conviction vacated, or, at the very least, a hearing or further discovery be granted on these issues.
Response and Ongoing Legal Battle
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on August 22, Salame expressed his anxiety about the court filing, acknowledging the potential consequences of challenging the government. He also reacted to the government’s response, which labeled his submission as “self-serving.” Salame countered this claim, insisting that his actions were aimed at ensuring the government honors its commitments.
Background and Legal Proceedings
Michelle Bond, Salame’s fiancée, was investigated by federal prosecutors in 2023 for potential campaign finance violations related to her 2022 congressional campaign in New York’s first district. Investigators scrutinized the contributions Salame made to her campaign and the loans she provided.
Salame, who served as the co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison in May after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges related to unlawful political contributions and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. He is scheduled to begin serving his sentence on October 13 and has been ordered to pay over $11 million in forfeiture and restitution.
