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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 SBF was arrested in December 2022, and his bail was revoked due to alleged witness tampering.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.
Expert Compares Sam Bankman-Fried's Downfall to Bernie Madoff
Champel Capital Co-Founder Amir Weitmann, who has written a book on Bernie Madoff, compares the American fraudster to Sam Bankman-Fried. Madoff "was not promising his investors incredible returns," he says.
FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Expected To Enter Not Guilty Plea: Report
FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried awaits arraignment in New York federal court, where he is reportedly expected to plead not guilty, according to the Wall Street Journal. Champel Capital Co-Founder Amir Weitmann discusses his take on the FTX implosion and how it compares to the Bernie Madoff scandal. Plus, his outlook for VC crypto investments.
What to Expect from Sam Bankman-Fried's Court Appearance
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is expected to plead not guilty to eight different charges at his arraignment in New York, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. CoinDesk Global Policy & Regulation Managing Editor Nikhilesh De weighs in on what to expect from today's court proceedings.
Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Ask Court to Conceal Identities of $250M Bail Co-Signers
The lawyers cited privacy and safety concerns as reasons for the request.
FTX Japan to Allow Customers to Withdraw Funds Starting in February
The plan would make FTX Japan customers some of the first of the collapsed crypto exchange to get their money back.
Top 5 Crypto Stories That Defined a Hectic 2022
2022 has been unlike any other year in crypto history. From the rapid demise of FTX, to the momentous Ethereum Merge, to the unraveling of TerraUSD, CoinDesk's Doreen Wang takes a look back at the most epic stories that defined this year.
Regulators in the Bahamas Are Holding $3.5 Billion in FTX Customer Assets
Concerns over the security of assets in FTX custody prompted the authorities to take control of them.
Solana Has Fallen 20% This Week as FTX Jitters Linger
Solana (SOL) has fallen in the past 24 hours, despite most cryptocurrencies trading flat on Thursday. SOL's links to disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces charges of fraud and misappropriation of client funds, could be adding to the recent selling pressure. "The Hash" panel discusses what this means for the outlook for the Solana ecosystem.
Alameda Research Sold Ether-Based Token Holdings for Bitcoin Over Past 24 Hours: On-Chain Data
Millions of dollars worth of tokens held by Sam Bankman-Fried’s embattled trading unit Alameda Research were liquidated and ultimately exchanged for bitcoin Wednesday as the firm's founders face criminal charges related to the collapse of Alameda and FTX, according to onchain data cited by Arkham Intelligence. CoinDesk Global Policy & Regulation Managing Editor Nikhilesh De explains what we know so far.
Alameda Research Liquidates Ethereum-Based Token Holdings for Bitcoin
Data from Arkham Intelligence indicated that $1.7 million worth of the tokens was sold.
