The U.S. Attorney's Office suspects that SBF's appeal application letter was not sent by the individual themselves

March 23 (CoinDesk) — U.S. federal prosecutors told a judge Wednesday that a letter purportedly sent from jail by Sam Bankman-Fried was actually mailed via FedEx from another location, suggesting someone may have impersonated him externally to send the document. The development adds new complexity to Bankman-Fried’s appeal following his conviction. The FTX founder — sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy — is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in San Pedro, California, and is seeking a retrial. Prosecutors noted the suspicious letter was docketed March 16, but featured a return address in Palo Alto or Menlo Park, incorrectly labeled the federal prison as a state facility, and used a printed “/s/” instead of a genuine signature. They also emphasized the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) bars inmates from sending mail via private couriers like FedEx. Given these irregularities, the prosecution says there is “reason to suspect” the letter was not sent by Bankman-Fried himself. While the government has not directly accused him or his associates of document forgery, the move signals prosecutors are questioning the authenticity of materials submitted in his retrial bid. Bankman-Fried has repeatedly claimed he did not receive a fair trial, citing new evidence favorable to him as FTX’s bankruptcy proceedings progress and customer funds are gradually recovered.