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 SBF was arrested in December 2022, and his bail was revoked due to alleged witness tampering.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.

Videos

FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Refiles for Temporary Release Ahead of Trial

Lawyers for Sam Bankman-Fried filed another letter late Monday to the Judge overseeing the case, hoping to once again request for the FTX founder's temporary release from prison before the trial starts on Oct. 3. CoinDesk's global policy and regulation managing editor Nikhilesh De discusses the arguments and terms of the letter. Plus, insights on whether Bankman-Fried could get a 115-year prison sentence based on his charges.

Sep 26, 2023, 10:48 a.m. EDT

Policy

Overcrowded, No Heat, Little Light: Inside SBF's Prison Digs

The former CEO who founded FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, is probably not having a great time as he awaits his criminal trial in federal court.

By Elizabeth NapolitanoSep 26, 2023, 6:00 a.m. EDT

Podcasts

SBF TRIAL: Inside Sam Bankman-Fried's Trial Defense Episode 1

By CoinDeskSep 26, 2023, 5:00 a.m. EDT

SBF TRIAL Podcast 11/03: Sam Bankman-Fried Guilty on All 7 Counts in FTX Fraud Trial

Policy

Sam Bankman-Fried Refiles for Temporary Release Ahead of Trial

The FTX founder's requests to be released from jail started in August, when his release on bond was revoked.

By Amitoj Singh, Jack SchicklerSep 26, 2023, 4:05 a.m. EDT

Podcasts

SBF TRIAL PODCAST: 09/25 Update

By CoinDeskSep 25, 2023, 10:57 a.m. EDT

Podcasts

SBF TRIAL: Inside Sam Bankman-Fried's Trial Defense Trailer

By CoinDeskSep 25, 2023, 10:30 a.m. EDT

Policy

Sam Bankman-Fried (Probably) Won’t Get a 115-Year Prison Sentence

The FTX founder will be defending himself against wire fraud and conspiracy charges. Here's what that means.

By Nikhilesh DeSep 25, 2023, 6:00 a.m. EDT

Videos

Binance Claps Back at SEC Lawsuit; FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried Will Remain in Jail

"CoinDesk Daily" host Jennifer Sanasie breaks down the biggest crypto headlines today, including the argument Binance attorneys are making in a recent motion to dismiss the SEC's lawsuit. Bankrupt crypto exchange FTX has sued former employees of Salameda. And, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried faces a legal setback after an appeals court rejected his attorneys’ attempt to free him from jail ahead of his trial.

Sep 22, 2023, 11:51 a.m. EDT

Podcasts