Nikolas Sargeant
Gary Wang, co-founder and former technology chief of FTX, has asked a Manhattan judge for no jail time, highlighting his cooperation in the conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried. Wang, set to be sentenced on Nov. 20, argues he played a minor role compared to others like former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison and FTX’s lead engineer Nishad Singh.
In his Nov. 6 memo, Wang points to his cooperation and testimony as central to Bankman-Fried's conviction. His lawyers argue a prison sentence would unfairly punish him more than Singh, who avoided jail time.
Wang revealed he followed Bankman-Fried’s directions to alter FTX’s code, which allegedly enabled Alameda Research to misuse customer funds. He says he was unaware of the full scope of fraud and was misled by Bankman-Fried.
Since his plea, Wang has aided prosecutors and FTX’s bankruptcy team. He argues jail would prevent him from supporting his family and assisting the government in crypto fraud detection.
Bankman-Fried appealed his 25-year sentence, claiming he never received a fair trial. Judge Lewis Kaplan will sentence Wang on Nov. 20.
