The Withdrawal of Ryan Salame’s Petition and its Implications for Michelle Bond’s Case

Ryan Salame, a former FTX executive, has decided to withdraw his petition to dismiss an indictment against Michelle Bond, just days before a critical court hearing. This decision comes after Salame was sentenced to 90 months in prison in May 2024 for conspiracy charges. Bond, a former congressional candidate, is accused of conspiring with Salame to finance her 2022 campaign unlawfully.

Salame’s legal team informed Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York that the petition was being withdrawn “without prejudice” to allow Bond to address the matter in her own legal proceedings. Initially filed on Aug. 21, Salame’s petition sought a writ of error coram nobis or a writ of audita querela, arguing that his guilty plea was made under false pretenses.

The government responded to Salame’s petition by labeling his claims as “demonstrably false” and asserting that the investigation into Bond’s activities was ongoing and separate from the charges Salame faced. The unsealing of the indictment against Bond on August 22, 2024, accused her of conspiring with Salame to make unlawful contributions to her 2022 congressional campaign.

With Bond’s indictment now formalized and her case moving forward under Judge George B. Daniels, Salame has chosen to step back, allowing Bond to address the issues independently. The withdrawal of Salame’s petition does not signify a change in his stance on the case’s facts. Instead, it represents a strategic decision to address the raised issues in Bond’s case, where they are more relevant.

Salame’s legal team clarified that the withdrawal of the petition was not due to dissatisfaction with Salame’s sentence but rather the impending indictment against Bond. By withdrawing the petition, Salame aims to allow Bond’s case to proceed without additional complications that his petition might have introduced. This marks a tactical shift in the legal proceedings surrounding both Salame and Bond’s cases.

The withdrawal of Ryan Salame’s petition has significant implications for Michelle Bond’s case, allowing her to address the legal matters independently and move forward with her defense. The decision to step back strategically clears the way for Bond’s case to proceed smoothly, without the added complexities of Salame’s petition.