Former FTX Executive Ryan Salame Begins Prison Sentence After Failed Delay Attempts
Salame enters prison with plans for a legal degree while admitting past mistakes
Ryan Salame, former FTX executive, officially entered prison custody on October 11, 2024, at FCI Cumberland, according to the Bureau of Prisons. Salame was sentenced to 90 months for his involvement in the collapse of FTX, after pleading guilty to operating an unregulated money-transmitting business and violating campaign finance laws.
Salame had attempted to delay his surrender, citing medical treatment for a dog bite. However, prosecutors opposed the request, and Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the motion on October 10, 2024.
Despite his efforts to push back his prison date, Salame appeared to take his situation in stride. He updated his Twitter and LinkedIn profiles, jokingly announcing his new role as a prison inmate at Cumberland Correctional Institution.
Before reporting to prison, Salame was interviewed by Unchained podcast host Laura Shin. In the interview, he admitted to withdrawing nearly $600,000 in cryptocurrency during the FTX collapse, which he described as a lapse in judgment. He explained that the withdrawal was intended to cover legal fees, though he later forfeited some of the funds to the Department of Justice.
Salame also revealed his plans to pursue a law degree while serving his sentence, not to practice law, but to better understand the legal system, citing dissatisfaction with his previous legal representation.