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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 SBF was arrested in December 2022, and his bail was revoked due to alleged witness tampering.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.
Judge Kaplan's Ire Hits All Lawyers in the Sam Bankman-Fried Case
“This is a joke," the judge told the attorneys after a bizarre bit of testimony.
FTX Used Billions in Customer Funds to Buy Back Binance Stake
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said in a 2022 post the company had received over $2.1 billion in binance usd (BUSD) stablecoins and FTX’s FTT tokens.
Treasury Department Issues Sanctions on Hamas Operatives; SBF's Meetings With Powerful Politicians
"CoinDesk Daily" host Jennifer Sanasie breaks down the hottest crypto headlines today, including testimony during the criminal trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried that revealed scheduled meetings with various American politicians. A closer look at how the U.S. is working to disrupt Hamas financing after recent attacks on Israel. And, Fidelity files an amendment to its proposed spot bitcoin ETF.
‘Oh, Yes’: Accounting Prof Says Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX Definitely Mishandled Customers' Money
For starters, customer funds were behind a majority of FTX’s investment into Scaramucci’s SkyBridge Capital, Peter Easton testifies.
Lack of 'Melodrama' Is Surprising in Sam Bankman-Fried's Trial: Law Professor
As part of CoinDesk's State of Crypto Week presented by Chainalysis, St. John’s University law professor Anthony M. Sabino weighs in on how crypto regulation could change as Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal trial continues. When it comes to Sam Bankman-Fried's defense Sabino said he was "quite surprised at the lack of more melodrama," especially regarding former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison's testimony.
The SBF Trial: Ex-FTX Exec Nishad Singh Faces Cross-Examination
Nishad Singh, a former member of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle, faced cross examination from defense attorney Marc Cohen yesterday. CoinDesk executive director of global content Emily Parker, who was in the courtroom on Tuesday, discusses the latest legal developments.
Acquittal in Sam Bankman-Fried's Trial Is 'Certainly a Possibility,' Law Professor Says
As part of CoinDesk's State of Crypto Week presented by Chainalysis, which takes a closer look at the future of crypto regulation in the U.S., St. John’s University law professor Anthony M. Sabino discusses his take on FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal trial and the prospects of an acquittal. Plus, why it could be "highly dangerous" and "extremely risky" for Bankman-Fried to take the stand.
(One Part of) Sam Bankman-Fried's Defense Strategy Starts Paying Off
The defense team landed some hits during its cross-examination of a key witness against Sam Bankman-Fried.
Sam Bankman-Fried Dined With Eric Adams at NYC Mayor’s Go-To Italian Restaurant
Erstwhile crypto titan and avowed vegan Sam Bankman-Fried was also scheduled to meet New York Gov. Kathy Hochul at The Capital Grille steakhouse, according to FBI trial testimony.
