Sam Bankman-Fried

Sam Bankman-Fried, once a pivotal figure in the cryptocurrency industry, was convicted in November 2023 of committing fraud and conspiracy for stealing billions of dollars of money belonging to customers of his FTX crypto exchange, funneling the money to Alameda Research, his hedge fund. FTX had been one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges before its demise, a major player in derivatives trading including perpetual futures. The company's undoing was spurred by a CoinDesk scoop in November 2022 showing Alameda's balance sheet was mysteriously full of the FTT token issued by FTX – calling into question both Alameda and FTX's financial stability. The Bahamas-based company filed for bankruptcy nine days after the story. Before his downfall, SBF (as the former billionaire is commonly known as) had been a leading figure in crypto, pushing for regulation of the industry in the U.S. He was a major political donor and the public face of effective altruism, a movement geared toward maximizing the amount of good done by philanthropy. SBF was arrested in December 2022, and his bail was revoked due to alleged witness tampering. His trial began in October 2023, and he was convicted on Nov. 2, 2023, a year to the day after the CoinDesk story that caused his crypto empire to crumble.


Политика

Sam Bankman-Fried Needs Better Answers on the Stand

Bankman-Fried was charming in front of reporters before FTX collapsed. Now he's just defensive.

FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried exiting a federal courthouse in New York last year. (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)

Политика

Bankman-Fried Had a Hairy Day in Court

And he's still got more to go.

SBF Trial Newsletter Graphic

Политика

Sam Bankman-Fried's Defense Team Makes Last-Ditch Bid to Get 'English Law' Detail in Jury Instructions

The term may have implications for the fraud charges Bankman-Fried faces.

Sam Bankman-Fried (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)

Политика

Sam Bankman-Fried's Post-Collapse Media Blitz Has Clearly Backfired

The FTX founder was grilled Monday by a prosecutor, who used the many words he said to journalists after his crypto company's collapse against him.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 30: Andrew Ross Sorkin and Sam Bankman-Fried on stage at the 2022 New York Times DealBook on November 30, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images for The New York Times)

Видео

Sam Bankman-Fried on the Hot Seat; Hong Kong's New CBDC Report

"CoinDesk Daily" host Jennifer Sanasie breaks down the hottest stories shaping the crypto industry today, including the Justice Department gearing up for its cross-examination of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried during his criminal trial. Animoca Brands has a new partnership with Saudi Arabia's NEOM. And, what a new report says about retail central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in Hong Kong.

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Видео

Likelihood of Sam Bankman-Fried Convincing the Jury Is 'Zero,' Lawyer Predicts

Hodder Law Firm founder Sasha Hodder weighs in on Sam Bankman-Fried's decision to take the stand in his own defense for his criminal trial and expectations on his performance during the cross-examination. "He's just going to get skinned alive by these seasoned prosecutors," Hodder said. "They are not the people on Twitter spaces who were asking him questions last November."

Recent Videos

Видео

Sam Bankman-Fried Taking the Stand Was a 'Huge Mistake,' Lawyer Says

Sam Bankman-Fried is set to face a cross-examination by federal prosecutors Monday, after doubling down on the narrative that FTX failed due to mistakes. Hodder Law Firm founder Sasha Hodder discusses her take on the latest legal proceedings around the FTX founder's criminal trial and the implications for the U.S. regulatory landscape.

The SBF Trial and How We Got Here

Политика

Sam Bankman-Fried Grilled by Prosecutor, Who Points Out Contradictions in His Testimony

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon repeatedly cornered the FTX founder on his public statements about his involvement with his affiliated trading firm Alameda and the safety of exchange customer assets.

Sam Bankman-Fried (Liz Napolitano/CoinDesk)