Former FTX executive Ryan Salame, who pled guilty to criminal charges last September, hopes the court will hand out a lenient sentence of no more than 18 months in prison, according to a filing.
"Such a sentence would satisfy the purposes of sentencing ... while allowing Ryan [Salame] to have the opportunity to continue contributing positively toward society," the document said.
Salame's attorneys make the case that he did not play a central role in fraudulent activity and lost much of his personal fortune with the collapse of FTX. The cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy in November 2022. A year later, its CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of defrauding customers and sentenced to nearly 25 years in prison.
Salame did not testify in the trial against Bankman-Fried, his former boss.
In the document, Salame's lawyers also sought to spotlight their client's work in the community.
"Those who know Ryan best regard him as an 'outstanding member of [the] community' who makes 'significant community contributions' and seeks to 'make a positive impact in the world," according to the filing.
The former FTX executive's issues with drug abuse were also included in the appeal for a maximum 18-month sentence.