Former FTX executive Ryan Salame asks for no more than 18 months in prison

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.