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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 SBF was arrested in December 2022, and his bail was revoked due to alleged witness tampering.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.
Bernie Madoff’s Former Lawyer: Crypto Knowledge Unlikely to Play Role in SBF Trial
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is getting his day in court, after prosecutors previously called the demise of FTX "one of the biggest financial frauds in American history." Mintz and Gold partner Ira Lee Sorkin, who previously represented Bernie Madoff, discusses his take on the legal proceedings and how it could shape the future crypto regulation in the U.S.
Sam Bankman-Fried Now Has a Jury
A federal judge picked a dozen New Yorkers to try the FTX founder on fraud and conspiracy charges.
Could Sam Bankman-Fried Blame the FTX Collapse on Lack of U.S. Regulation?
Ira Lee Sorkin, who previously represented Bernie Madoff, discusses why it will not likely work for FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to blame the collapse of the exchange on the lack of regulatory clarity in the crypto industry. "There's no regulation that says you are permitted to misrepresent information to investors...there's no regulation that says do whatever you want with investor's money," Sorkin said.
No Jury Yet, but We're Getting There
No death penalty either, the judge had to reassure a prospective juror.
Lack of U.S. Crypto Laws Irrelevant to Bankman-Fried Allegations, DOJ Says
The FTX founder’s fraud trial began selecting a jury Tuesday as lawyers spar about what evidence its members can see.
When SRM Shot Up in Value, Sam Bankman-Fried Changed the Rules for His Workers, Michael Lewis Says
Michael Lewis’ “Going Infinite” outlines how the FTX CEO was worried his employees had gotten too rich because SRM’s price had gone up so much. So, he made them wait longer to sell.
Could Sam Bankman-Fried's Saga Happen Without Crypto?
The alleged fraud at FTX is a symptom of problems within crypto, something the industry must reckon with especially as an easy scapegoat goes on trial.
TV's Kevin O’Leary: ‘All the Crypto Cowboys Are Going to Be Gone Soon’
O’Leary, an entrepreneur and television personality, was paid $15 million by FTX for “20 service hours, 20 social posts, one virtual lunch and 50 autographs,” according to Michael Lewis’s new book “Going Infinite.”
