Ryan Salame, a former FTX executive, has decided to withdraw his petition to dismiss the indictment against Michelle Bond just days before a crucial court hearing. The letter from Salame’s legal team, dated Aug. 29, informed Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York that the petition was being withdrawn “without prejudice.” This move allows Bond to address the matter in her own legal proceedings independently.
Salame was sentenced to 90 months in prison in May 2024 after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges, which included operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and making illegal political contributions. On the other hand, Bond, a former congressional candidate, is accused of conspiring with Salame – her boyfriend – to finance her 2022 campaign unlawfully. Despite being a former candidate for New York’s 1st Congressional District, Bond lost in the Republican primary to Nicholas J. LaLota.
Salame’s petition, initially filed on Aug. 21, sought a writ of error coram nobis or, alternatively, a writ of audita querela. In essence, Salame argued that his guilty plea, made in May as part of a deal resulting in a 90-month prison sentence, was based on the false belief that prosecutors would not pursue further action against Bond.
The government’s response to Salame’s petition was stern. Prosecutors denounced his claims as “demonstrably false” and made it clear that the investigation into Bond’s activities was ongoing and separate from the charges against Salame. The indictment against Bond, unveiled on August 22, 2024, alleges that she conspired with Salame to make illegal contributions to her 2022 congressional campaign.
With Bond’s indictment formally docketed and her case progressing under Judge George B. Daniels, Salame has chosen to step back, allowing Bond to address the issues independently within her case. The decision to withdraw the petition signifies a tactical maneuver. Salame’s legal team stated that this move does not reflect any change in his position on the case’s facts but is rather aimed at allowing the issues raised in the petition to be litigated directly in Bond’s case.
The withdrawal of Ryan Salame’s petition clears the path for Bond’s case to proceed without the potential complications that Salame’s petition could have presented. This development reflects a strategic decision to streamline the legal process and allow each party to address the allegations and issues raised independently in their respective cases.