Former FTX Executive Samuel Bankman-Fried Requests Presidential Pardon
前 FTX 高層 Samuel Bankman-Fried 請求總統特赦
Introduction
Samuel Bankman-Fried, who is currently in prison after being convicted of financial fraud, has officially asked President Donald Trump for a pardon.
Samuel Bankman-Fried 因被判定犯金融詐欺而目前在監獄服刑，他已正式請求總統川普予以特赦。
Main Body
In 2024, Samuel Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $11 billion. These penalties were the result of convictions for stealing customer money from the FTX exchange to pay for personal expenses, political donations, and debts at Alameda Research. The Department of Justice described these actions as a major financial fraud.
2024年，Samuel Bankman-Fried 被判處25年徒刑，並被要求支付110億美元。這些懲罰是因為他被判定竊取 FTX 交易所的客戶資金，用以支付個人開銷、政治捐款以及 Alameda Research 的債務。司法部將這些行為描述為一場重大的金融詐欺。
According to records from the Office of the Pardon Attorney, Bankman-Fried has applied for a 'Pardon after Completion of Sentence.' This means he is asking for legal forgiveness after he finishes his prison term, rather than asking for a shorter sentence. At the same time, he is attempting to appeal his original sentence in court.
根據特赦律師辦公室的記錄，Bankman-Fried 申請了「服刑後特赦」。這意味著他在請求完成監禁後獲得法律寬恕，而非請求減刑。與此同時，他正嘗試在法院對原判提出上訴。
Bankman-Fried continues to deny that he did anything wrong, asserting that the prosecution was unfair and that customers have been paid back about 170 percent of their deposits. However, former associates, including Michael Avenatti, disagree and claim that Bankman-Fried refuses to admit his mistakes. Meanwhile, although President Trump's administration has become more supportive of the cryptocurrency industry and has pardoned other figures like Changpeng Zhao, the President stated in January that he does not intend to pardon Bankman-Fried.
Bankman-Fried 繼續否認自己有任何 wrongdoing，堅持起訴過程不公平，且客戶已獲得約 170% 的存款償還。然而，包括 Michael Avenatti 在內的前合作夥伴並不認同，並聲稱 Bankman-Fried 拒絕承認自己的錯誤。同時，儘管川普政府對加密貨幣產業的支持度有所提高，並特赦了如趙長鵬等人物，但總統在一月份曾表示，他並不打算特赦 Bankman-Fried。
Conclusion
Samuel Bankman-Fried remains in prison while he waits for a decision on his pardon application and the results of his legal appeals.
Samuel Bankman-Fried 目前仍留在監獄中，等待其特赦申請的決定以及法律上訴的結果。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The Power of 'Rather Than'
At an A2 level, you probably say: "I want tea, not coffee." That is correct, but it is very simple. To move toward B2, you need to express contrast and preference more sophisticatedly.
Look at this sentence from the text:
"...asking for legal forgiveness after he finishes his prison term, rather than asking for a shorter sentence."
What is happening here?
Rather than acts like a bridge. It tells the reader: "Forget Option B; I am choosing/doing Option A." It allows you to compare two ideas in one smooth sentence instead of using two short, choppy sentences.
🛠 How to build it (The B2 Blueprint)
To use this, follow this pattern: [Action/Choice A] + rather than + [Action/Choice B]
- A2 Style: I will walk. I won't take the bus.
- B2 Style: I will walk rather than take the bus.
Pro Tip: Notice that in the article, the words after rather than keep the same form as the words before it.
- Asking... rather than asking.
- Walking... rather than driving.
🔍 Contextual Expansion: 'Asserting' vs 'Saying'
B2 students stop using the word "say" for everything. In the text, Bankman-Fried is not just saying he is innocent; he is asserting it.
Asserting = Saying something with great confidence and force, even if other people disagree.
- Example: "She asserted that the project was finished, although the boss knew it wasn't."
💡 Quick Upgrade Summary
| Instead of... (A2) | Try this... (B2) |
|---|---|
| Not this, but that | Rather than |
| Say strongly | Assert |
| Bad things/punishments | Penalties |