Michelle Bond Arrested for Campaign Finance Violations

Michelle Bond, the former congressional candidate and partner of convicted FTX executive Ryan Salame, has been arrested on charges of violating campaign finance laws. Bond allegedly used $400,000 from a sham consulting agreement with FTX and additional funds wired by Salame to finance her 2022 congressional campaign. Salame, who had previously pleaded guilty to related charges and was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison, claimed prosecutors assured him Bond would not be arrested if he pled guilty, an assertion prosecutors deny. Bond faces up to five years in prison for each of the four charges against her, which include conspiracy and accepting excessive and unlawful contributions. This incident further unfolds the complex financial and political entanglements surrounding the collapse of FTX. Bond, who has been a notable figure in the cryptocurrency industry, has been released on $1 million bail.