Ryan Salame’s wife to face charges over FTX-funded congressional run

Michelle Bond, wife of former FTX executive Ryan Salame, will face charges related to campaign finance violations. A federal judge denied her motion to dismiss the charges on March 19, 2024. The charges stem from allegations that her 2022 congressional campaign in New York's 1st Congressional District received illegal contributions funded by her husband, Ryan Salame. Prosecutors contend that Salame used straw donors to funnel approximately $1.5 million into Bond's campaign, circumventing federal election laws. Bond's legal team argued that she was unaware of the alleged illegalities and that the funds were legitimate donations. However, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman stated that the indictment sufficiently alleged that Bond knowingly participated in the scheme. The case is proceeding in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Ryan Salame previously pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and fraud charges in September 2023, cooperating with prosecutors in the ongoing FTX-related investigations.