Former FTX executive Ryan Salame, who was set to begin a seven-and-a-half-year prison term, has requested a delay in his self-surrender date. The ex-co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets cited ongoing medical treatment as the reason for his request, following a dog attack in June.
Request for Self-Surrender Delay
Salame, originally scheduled to report to a federal correctional facility on October 11, has asked the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to extend his self-surrender date to December 7. In an October 9 court filing, his legal team included a statement from a physician in Virginia, explaining that Salame required “continuing medical treatment.” However, the specific medical details were redacted from the filing.
This is not the first time Salame has sought an extension. In July, Judge Lewis Kaplan granted him a delay after he reported being “mauled” by a German Shepherd on June 29.
Salame’s Guilty Plea and Sentence
In September 2023, Salame pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to make unlawful political contributions and defraud the Federal Election Commission. His guilty plea came nearly a year after FTX’s collapse. Salame is the second individual from the indictment involving Sam Bankman-Fried to receive a prison sentence. Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison was sentenced to two years after Salame’s sentencing in May 2024.
Salame’s Reaction and Online Activity
Following his sentencing, Salame took to his social media platform X, where he continued to post about U.S. politics and discussed his involvement in FTX’s collapse. He expressed an unusual perspective, describing prison as “exciting” and stating that he was “honestly not worried” about serving time.
Salame’s Partner, Michelle Bond
The October 9 filing did not reference Salame’s partner, Michelle Bond, with whom he shares a child. Bond faces her own legal troubles, as prosecutors charged her with campaign finance violations in a separate case. In August, Bond pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.
Judge Kaplan’s Response and Other FTX Executives’ Sentencing
It is uncertain whether Judge Kaplan will approve Salame’s request for a delay. Reports from a courtroom hearing in September indicated the judge’s frustration with Salame’s behavior, as the former executive initially tried to vacate his guilty plea following Bond’s indictment but later withdrew the motion.
Other FTX executives, including Nishad Singh and Gary Wang, are scheduled for sentencing hearings on October 30 and November 20, respectively. They both face significant prison time as the fallout from FTX’s collapse continues to unfold.
