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

In a surprising turn of events, former FTX executive Ryan Salame has decided to withdraw his petition to dismiss the indictment against Michelle Bond just days before a critical court hearing. This decision comes after Salame’s legal team informed Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York that the petition was being withdrawn “without prejudice” to allow Bond to address the matter in her own legal proceedings. Salame was previously sentenced to 90 months in prison in May 2024 after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges, including operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and making unlawful political contributions. Bond, who is a former congressional candidate and Salame’s girlfriend, is accused of conspiring with Salame to unlawfully finance her 2022 campaign.

Salame’s petition, which was originally filed on Aug. 21, sought a writ of error coram nobis or, alternatively, a writ of audita querela. The main argument presented in the petition was that Salame’s guilty plea was made under the false belief that prosecutors would not pursue further action against Bond. However, 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 he faced. The indictment against Bond, which was unsealed on August 22, 2024, accuses her of conspiring with Salame to make unlawful contributions to her 2022 congressional campaign.

Despite the government’s strong response, Salame has chosen to withdraw his petition, marking a tactical shift in strategy. His legal team emphasized that the withdrawal does not indicate a change in Salame’s stance on the facts of the case, but rather a decision to allow the issues raised in his petition to be addressed in Bond’s case where they are more directly relevant. The move to withdraw the petition effectively clears the way for Bond’s case to proceed without the potential complications that Salame’s petition might have introduced.

Overall, the withdrawal of Ryan Salame’s petition has significant implications for Michelle Bond’s legal proceedings. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the outcome of Bond’s case and whether Salame’s actions will have any lasting consequences. As the case continues to unfold, it is clear that the relationship between Salame and Bond will remain at the center of attention as the legal battle progresses.