Ryan Salame, former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, has withdrawn his petition to vacate his guilty plea for violations of campaign finance and money-transmitting laws.
Case Circumstances
On August 29, Salame’s legal team informed the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York that his longtime partner, Michelle Bond, who is also facing criminal charges, 'may raise the matter' of his guilty plea in her case. Prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Bond on August 22, alleging violations of campaign finance law related to her 2022 congressional campaign.
Intertwined Cases
On August 21, Salame’s lawyers filed a petition for a writ of error *coram nobis*, which, if granted, could have allowed Judge Lewis Kaplan to vacate the guilty plea and 90-month sentence. Salame, who was originally scheduled to report to prison on August 29, requested a delay until October 13 due to medical complications from a dog bite. Prosecutors called Salame’s allegations that the U.S. government would not pursue an investigation against Bond if he pleaded guilty 'demonstrably false'.
Potential Implications
The allegations against Salame and Bond are connected to Bond’s run to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District in 2022. Though her candidacy did not advance beyond the Republican primary, prosecutors allege the pair conspired to use funds tied to FTX for her campaign. Both were charged after the collapse of FTX, with Salame pleading guilty in September 2023. Bond pleaded not guilty and both were released on $1 million bail each. According to Bond’s indictment, she met Salame in June 2021 and started a romantic relationship by 2022. The couple has a nine-month-old child together.
Ryan Salame’s withdrawal of his petition to vacate his guilty plea may impact the court proceedings against Michelle Bond. The legal battles continue, and the forthcoming decisions will have significant repercussions for both defendants.
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