• FTX’s Samuel Bankman-Fried’s lawyers argue that the executive never got a fair trial and was presumed guilty before being charged.
• An appeal was filed Friday, requesting that the case be tried under a new judge.
• Lawyers argue that the bankrupt exchange faced a liquidity crisis, and Bankman-Fried had the funds to pay back customers. 

FTX exchange’s founder and former CEO Samuel Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud, conspiracy and money-laundering and sentenced to 25 years in prison. 

Bankman-Fried’s lawyers filed an appeal on September 13, requesting a new judge rule on the case since the former executive was presumed guilty and charged without a “fair trial.”

SBF presumed guilty by media before trial, lawyers seek to overturn fraud conviction

SBF, founder of the collapsed crypto exchange that is currently bankrupt, seeks to overturn the sentence he received for his role in the collapse of the two firms. Bankman-Fried’s lawyers said that SBF was presumed guilty prior to being charged. 

Lawyers argue in the 102-page appeal that the former FTX CEO did not face a solvency crisis, he faced a liquidity crisis and had the customer funds. 

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court in Manhattan had sentenced Mr. Bankman-Fried to 25 years in prison and lawyers argue that the judge “presumed” Bankman-Fried is guilty, therefore SBF should be allowed a fair trial and a new judge.