Ex-FTX exec asks for delay reporting to prison after dog attack

Lawyers representing former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame have requested a 45-day delay before his prison reporting date due to medical complications from a dog biting his face. 

In a July 26 filing in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Salame’s legal team requested his self-surrender date to serve a 7.5-year sentence be moved from Aug. 29 to Oct. 13 “so that he may undergo urgent and necessary medical treatment and surgery.” The former FTX executive pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business and engaging in campaign finance fraud.

According to the filing, a German Shepherd “mauled” Salame” on June 29 while he was visiting a friend’s home. Portions of the request were redacted, but they included a physician’s visit on July 3 and recommendations for treatment on July 24 “after sustaining a dog-bite injury to the face.”

Salame posted on X the day of the attack, implying that a surgeon who didn’t hold his political views would be more likely to intentionally harm him while treating the bite wound. He also hinted that, despite his injuries, he was monitoring the Bitcoin 2024 conference and preparing to do “big interviews” in the future.

Salame was one of the first associates of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried to be sentenced to prison time, and the only one named in the indictment who didn’t testify at SBF’s trial. In March, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison following his conviction on seven felony charges. He has filed a notice of appeal.

FTX co-founder Gary Wang and former FTX engineering director Nishad Singh pleaded guilty to charges and are expected to be sentenced in October and November. A sentencing hearing date for former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison was not available at the time of publication.