Donald Trump is considering granting up to 250 presidential pardons to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. At least four founders or developers from the crypto ecosystem are among the candidates, while the clemency process raises questions about its integrity.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Trump plans 250 pardons for June 14 or July 4, 2026
- Sam Bankman-Fried (FTX) has reportedly been ruled out
- Keonne Rodriguez (Samourai Wallet) has a petition with 16,082 signatures
- Ross Ulbricht, CZ, and BitMEX founders already pardoned since early 2025
- The pardon process faces criticism for its lack of transparency
A 250-Pardon Plan for a Symbolic Anniversary
The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic reported in mid-June 2026 that the Trump administration was considering granting 250 pardons to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Dubbed « 250 pardons for 250 years, » this initiative could be announced on June 14, Trump’s birthday, or during the July 4 celebrations. More than 16,000 official clemency petitions had been filed last year, according to Department of Justice data. The plan remains preliminary and has not yet been presented to the president, White House officials indicated.
Alice Johnson, appointed as « pardon czar » in February 2026, and Edward R. Martin Jr., the Department of Justice’s pardon attorney, are overseeing the list’s development. Internal polls suggest a mass pardoning could be politically advantageous, but some advisors have warned against a political backlash given Trump’s low approval ratings and declining support among Congressional Republicans.
Crypto Founders in the Running for Clemency
Since returning to power, Trump has already used his pardoning power extensively. On the first day of his second term, he signed more than 1,500 pardons for individuals involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Several cryptocurrency company founders and their supporters are now lobbying for similar clemency.
Sam Bankman-Fried: Dashed Hopes
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the FTX exchange platform, represents one of the most anticipated cases by the crypto community. Convicted in 2024 to twenty-five years in prison on seven counts related to the exchange’s collapse, he ran an active campaign on social media to obtain a pardon. However, according to sources close to the matter cited by Cointelegraph, Trump had already ruled out this possibility earlier this year.
Keonne Rodriguez and Samourai Wallet
Keonne Rodriguez, developer of the Samourai Wallet crypto mixing protocol, has also expressed hope for a pardon. Last December, Trump stated he would review his case. A petition in his favor had gathered 16,082 signatures as of June 12, 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Tornado Cash Founders
Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, founders of the Tornado Cash mixing protocol, are the subject of two petitions with only 22 and 9 signatures respectively. Roman Storm was sentenced in August 2025 for conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business and faces charges of money laundering and sanctions violations. Roman Semenov is believed to be on the run and is the subject of an FBI warrant. Unlike Keonne Rodriguez, Roman Storm has never publicly requested a pardon.
Crypto Pardons Already Granted
Several industry players have already received pardons during this second Trump term, setting a precedent for pending requests.
| Individual | Platform | Pardon Date | Original Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Ulbricht | Silk Road | January 20, 2025 | Darknet marketplace, life sentence |
| Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Samuel Reed | BitMEX | March 27, 2025 | Bank Secrecy Act violations |
| Changpeng Zhao (CZ) | Binance | 2025 | Anti-money laundering violations |
« This was a case that was overly prosecuted by the Biden administration. The president wants to correct this overreach and exercise his constitutional authority. »
Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary
Ross Ulbricht, creator of the Silk Road darknet marketplace, was pardoned on January 20, 2025, for a life imprisonment sentence. BitMEX co-founders – Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed – were pardoned on March 27, 2025, after pleading guilty to Bank Secrecy Act violations for failing to maintain anti-money laundering and customer identification programs. Binance founder Changpeng « CZ » Zhao was also pardoned in 2025, despite having already served four months in prison for violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws.
« I am deeply grateful for this pardon and for President Trump’s defense of America’s commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice. »
Changpeng Zhao, Binance Founder
A Pardon Process Under Scrutiny
The decision to pardon CZ triggered mixed reactions across the American political landscape. Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale stated that the president had been « terribly misadvised » and that this « gives the image of massive fraud surrounding him in this space. » Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren called the pardon a « sort of corruption. »
« Binance turned a blind eye to its legal obligations to make profits. Its willful failures allowed money to flow to terrorists, cybercriminals, and child abusers. »
Janet Yellen, Former Treasury Secretary
The pardon process has fundamentally changed under the Trump administration. According to lawyers and lobbyists speaking anonymously to The Atlantic, the Department of Justice’s pardon attorney’s office has been largely bypassed by an informal network of intermediaries.
« In thirty years of legal practice, I’ve never seen anything like this. You can buy a pardon for $2 million. »
A leading criminal defense attorney, speaking anonymously
Liz Oyer, former pardon attorney under Biden and at the start of Trump’s second term, stated that « Donald Trump has turned the pardon process into Hunger Games. » Press Secretary Leavitt responded that the president « finds it despicable that anyone would try to profit from pardons. »
Outlook and Scenarios for the Final Announcement
According to sources close to the matter cited by The Atlantic, individuals convicted by judges appointed by Barack Obama or Joe Biden would be favored in the selection process, while those convicted by Trump-appointed judges might be less likely to receive a pardon. The Department of Justice stated that « anyone can apply for a pardon and the president is the ultimate decision-maker. »
The official announcement of the 250 pardons could come on June 14 or July 4, if the president gives final approval. The White House emphasized the existence of a « rigorous evaluation process involving the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s Office » before any pardon reaches the president’s desk. It remains to be seen whether crypto founders will indeed be on the final list, but the 2025 precedents suggest the administration is not ruling out pardoning major industry players.
Sources
- Cointelegraph – Trump weighs 250 pardons as crypto founders seek clemency
- The Atlantic – Trump’s 250 Pardons for America’s 250th Birthday
- U.S. Department of Justice – Clemency Grants under President Donald J. Trump
- White House – Presidential Actions
This article is published for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice in any way. Conduct your own research (DYOR) before making any decisions.
