Lawyers for Ryan Salame, a former executive of FTX, have requested a New York court to delay his prison sentence so he can undergo urgent surgery. Salame was injured by a dog while visiting a friend’s home.
Salame pleaded guilty in September to charges of conspiring to make unlawful political contributions and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. He was previously the co-CEO of FTX’s Bahamian subsidiary and worked closely with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Salame received a seven and a half year prison sentence after pleading guilty to criminal charges last year. His sentencing was initially scheduled for August 29 this year, but his lawyer is seeking a postponement to October 13.
According to a letter submitted to Judge Lewis Kaplan, Salame was “mauled by a German Shepherd” on June 29.
Salame visited a doctor on July 3 for an evaluation following a dog bite injury to his face, as noted in the physician’s letter filed with the court on Friday.
In September, Salame pled guilty to charges of conspiring to make unlawful political contributions and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. He had worked closely with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced in March to nearly 25 years in prison after a criminal fraud trial last year.
Salame’s lawyer argues that the delay is necessary for him to receive the medical care required following the dog attack.
Salame managed wire deposits and fiat currency conversions for FTX customers, participated in political contributions using Alameda funds, and led charitable initiatives in The Bahamas. His attorneys argue that his involvement was primarily operational rather than central to the fraud perpetrated by the key figurSalame’s legal team hoped for a lighter sentence of no more than 18 months, arguing that he lost much of his personal fortune when FTX collapsed in 2022. Prosecutors, however, argued for a sentence of five to seven years, stating that Salame committed serious crimes to promote the growth of FTX and Bankman-Fried’s image.
Former Alameda-FTX executives, including CEO Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang, have also pleaded guilty to charges and are negotiating plea deals to avoid jail time. However, Salame did not testify during Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial last year.
