Returning the Favor – Pulling the Rug on Sam Bankman-Fried

Mark Walier
Staff Writer

Since November 2022, Sam Bankman-Fried’s fall from grace has been nothing short of spectacular. When Binance, a rival crypto exchange shockingly announced their liquidity crisis, Bankman-Fried and FTX immediately felt the shockwaves. Only a few days later, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Bankman-Fried stepped down from his role as CEO. By December – the fall was imminent. Bankman-Fried was later incarcerated and charged with multiple accounts of fraud, quickly making him one of the most notorious financial criminals in American history.

Prosecutors argue that the Bankman-Fried funneled FTX customer money into Alameda Research, a separate investment firm he controlled, and used billions of dollars to pay down debts, invest in risky startup companies, and finance his luxurious lifestyle. If charged with all seven criminal accounts, including defrauding FTX customers and investors, Bankman-Fried could spend the remainder of his life in prison.

A few weeks into the closely watched legal proceedings, the Manhattan jury has been presented with both initial statements and a key witness testimony for the prosecution. This star witness, Caroline Ellison, was previously a high-ranking figure in Bankman-Fried’s cryptocurrency realm and Almeda Research’s CEO, as well as his former romantic partner. Despite their past relationship, Ellison made her case for innocence clear – she was manipulated. “He directed me to commit these crimes,” she told the court. In excerpts from her diary, Ellison wrote about her personal and professional frustrations in dealing with Bankman-Fried, claiming that he ran the show while her participation was nothing more than acting as an involuntary accomplice.

Along with Ellison, former FTX executives Gary Wang and Nishad Sing’s testimonies are proving to be problematic for Bankman-Fried’s defense. Wang testified that he willingly contributed to Alameda Research’s defrauding of up to $65 billion from FTX customers without them knowing, admitting they had “lied about this to the public.” Additionally, Singh openly admitted to participating in money laundering and violating campaign finance laws. Wang and Singh have both pleaded guilty, facing up to 50-75 years in prison.

While Bankman-Fried’s use of self-deleting messages has provided prosecutors with fewer written records to prove his fraudulent actions, these three former FTX executives provided the jury with extensive guidance through the limited set of the retained messages, spreadsheets, and Google documents.

Now, Bankman-Fried has a critical decision to make: say nothing or testify in his own defense. Traditionally, most defendants do not take the stand, as it opens the defendant to the risk of being cross examined and incriminating themselves under oath. However, following the damning testimonies of many key witnesses, Bankman-Fried might not have any other choice. Many following the trial are eager to hear Bankman-Fried’s version of what happened to $8 billion in missing FTX customer deposits, and as the Manhattan jury appears to be closing in on a decision regarding the fate of the former FTX CEO, taking the stand could provide Bankman-Fried’s defense with a vital shift in momentum in his pursuit of innocence.

Contact Mark at mark.walier@student.shu.edu