Lawyers for former FTX executive Ryan Salame, who is currently serving a 7.5-year prison sentence, have filed a court motion claiming that federal prosecutors rejected a plea deal that was supposed to protect his roommate Michelle Bond from further investigation.
Context of the Situation
The petition alleges that prosecutors assured Salame that the investigation into Bond, a former Republican congressional candidate and CEO of fintech think tank ADAM, would end if he cooperated.
Terms of the Deal
Salame, who was found guilty in September 2023 of campaign finance violations and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, argues that his defense hinged on prosecutors' promises to protect Bond, who is also the mother of his child. Prosecutors said they would pause their investigation into alleged campaign finance violations related to contributions Bond made during her 2022 congressional campaign, according to the filing.
Legal Actions
The filing alleges that the government used Salame's plea bargaining agreement as leverage to coerce him into cooperating, threatening to pursue criminal charges against Bond if he did not accept the deal. Despite Salame's compliance with the agreement, prosecutors reportedly reopened their investigation into Bond, in violation of what Salame's lawyers described as an “implicit commitment” to halt legal scrutiny. Salame's legal team is now seeking an injunction to force the government to honor its initial promise or have his conviction overturned entirely. The motion argues that Salame's defense was improperly induced by assurances that have since been broken and that the government should be allowed to withdraw its defense if it refuses to honor its commitment.
The situation raises questions about the integrity and transparency of judicial processes, potentially impacting future cases involving plea agreements.
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