Former FTX CEO, Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for multiple felony convictions, a decision that has sparked a wide range of responses from the crypto community. On March 28, Judge Lewis Kaplan announced consecutive sentences of 240 months and 60 months for Bankman-Fried, whom he likened to a “thief,” and accused of perjury and a hollow promotion of crypto regulation.

Bankman-Fried has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since August 2023, when his bail was revoked due to witness intimidation. The judge’s decision suggests that time already served will be deducted from the sentence, resulting in a maximum of 291 months in prison, ending in 2048. The remainder of his sentence will be served in a medium- or low-security prison in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reactions to the sentence have been mixed, with some expressing doubt that Bankman-Fried will serve the full term. U.S. law no longer offers parole for federal charges, but inmates demonstrating “good conduct” can earn a 54-day reduction for each year served. In Bankman-Fried’s case, this could equate to a reduced sentence of roughly 3.75 years.

Bankman-Fried’s attorney, Marc Mukasey, intends to appeal the jury’s decision, having 14 days to file the paperwork in court. The crypto community is divided over the severity of the sentence. Some believe the impact on FTX users warrants a harsher punishment, while others feel a 25-year sentence is overly punitive for a non-violent crime.

The FTX bankruptcy case is ongoing, alongside an $11-billion forfeiture judgment handed down as part of Bankman-Fried’s criminal case. This forfeiture is designed to ensure any future earnings by Bankman-Fried are directed towards the government and victims, not himself. Former federal prosecutor Mitchell Epner suggests that even if Bankman-Fried starts a successful business following his release, the government can still claim these funds.