Withdrawal of the Motion
On April 22, 2026, the incarcerated former CEO of FTX made headlines by withdrawing his request for a new trial. In a letter addressed to Judge Lewis Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, he expressed that he believed he could not receive a fair hearing due to perceived biases from the judge. The withdrawal was filed “without prejudice,” allowing for the possibility of re-filing the motion after his current appeal is resolved.
Parents’ Involvement in Drafting
In a previous motion, the former mogul indicated that he had drafted the new trial request while in prison, without consulting his lawyers at that time. Notably, he shared drafts with his parents, both Stanford law professors, who provided suggestions and organizational edits. This involvement led to scrutiny, as prosecutors questioned the independence of the motion’s authorship, particularly since his mother had filed the initial motion on his behalf back in March 2026.
Ongoing Legal Strategy
The decision to withdraw the motion was influenced by the focus on responding to prosecutorial questions about the previous filings. In his letter, he highlighted frustrations with the hearings, citing a perception that Judge Kaplan harbored “deep-seated fury” against him. While the withdrawal of the motion signifies a pause in this avenue for a new trial, it does not affect the ongoing appeal of his conviction and subsequent 25-year sentence, which is still pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
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