Before the judge gets to sentencing, the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System will create a recommendation. They may look at the trial transcript and Bankman-Fried’s background, and may potentially interview Bankman-Fried himself.
That recommendation will go to the judge, and the defense and prosecution will each provide their own recommendations.
Several lawyers CoinDesk spoke to said that Bankman-Fried – if convicted – could spend 10 to 20 years or so in prison, given the severity of the crimes and the estimated losses. Of course, Judge Kaplan has broad discretion, and he will ultimately set the final sentence.
Source: Sam Bankman-Fried (Probably) Won’t Get a 115-Year Prison Sentence
