Ryan Salame's lawyers allege misconduct in plea deal, demand dismissal of indictment against Michelle Bond

Lawyers for former FTX executive Ryan Salame say prosecutors used plea negotiations to "threaten" his partner and mother of his child, Michelle Bond, and have not followed through on their word to not bring an indictment against her.

Salame's lawyers asked for a New York court to either dismiss any indictment of Bond for campaign-finance violations and if not, vacate its conviction judgment made in May.

"In an effort to induce Salame’s plea, Government lawyers conveyed that they would discontinue investigating Bond if Salame pleaded guilty," lawyers said in a court document filed on Wednesday. "Considering Salame’s manifest desire to protect Bond, Salame responded by agreeing to enter into a plea agreement. Yet the Government failed to abide by its word, recently resuming its investigation into Bond and pursuing an indictment against her."

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Block. Bond declined to comment. Salame posted the court document on X.

Salame, previously the co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, pled guilty in September to conspiring to make unlawful political contributions, as well as conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. He was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and was set to appear for his sentencing on Aug. 29, but his lawyer asked him to push that date back to Oct. 13 in order to get urgent surgery after a dog attack.

Salame worked closely with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. Bankman-Fried was sentenced in March to almost 25 years in prison following a criminal fraud trial late last year.

Bond launched a think tank in June to help shape digital assets and artificial intelligence regulation. The think tank, called Digital Future, said it plans to work with stakeholders and policymakers on issues surrounding financial services and "advocate for policies that enhance the integrity and stability of the marketplace."

Update: Aug. 21, 10:40 p.m. UTC to include no comment from Bond