Ho ho ho: Caroline Ellison set for Jan. 21, 2026 release after FTX cooperation deal

Caroline Ellison will exit federal custody on Jan. 21, 2026, after broad cooperation in the FTX case, a 10-year industry ban, and ongoing post-release supervision.
Summary

• Bureau of Prisons data now lists Jan. 21, 2026 as Ellison’s release date, about four weeks earlier than prior estimates and after less than half her two-year term in custody.
• Ellison’s cooperation was central to Sam Bankman-Fried’s conviction and 25-year sentence, earning her community confinement and an accelerated custodial end.
• She agreed to a 10-year officer/director ban for public companies and crypto exchanges, leaving her under supervision and out of regulated finance despite release.

Caroline Ellison, former chief executive officer of Alameda Research, is scheduled for release from federal custody on January 21, 2026, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records updated in late December 2025. The release date represents an advancement of approximately four weeks from a previously reported February timeline.

Ellison of FTX infamy set to walk free next year

Ellison received a two-year prison sentence in September 2024 for her role in the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. She has served less than half of the original sentence in physical custody, according to federal records.

In October 2025, Ellison was transferred from federal prison to community confinement, which typically encompasses halfway house placement or home confinement. She is currently under supervision of a Residential Reentry Management field office in New York City, according to Bureau of Prisons data.

The reduced custody period stems largely from Ellison’s cooperation with federal prosecutors. She served as the primary cooperating witness in the criminal case against Sam Bankman-Fried, who was convicted on multiple fraud charges and is serving a 25-year federal prison sentence. Prosecutors acknowledged that her testimony and cooperation proved central to securing the conviction.

On December 19, 2025, Ellison consented to a 10-year prohibition from serving as an officer or director of any public company or cryptocurrency exchange. The restriction limits her participation in regulated financial and cryptocurrency-related businesses.

The January 2026 release will conclude the custodial portion of Ellison’s sentence, though she remains subject to post-release supervision and regulatory restrictions. Her case represents a prominent example of cooperation-driven sentence reductions stemming from the FTX collapse, which continues to influence regulatory and compliance discussions in the global cryptocurrency industry.