Sam Bankman-Fried: From FTX Collapse to Prison, Maintains Innocence

Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has spoken from prison, maintaining his innocence in a series of interviews conducted by Ari Hoffman of The New York Sun. In three 15-minute conversations, Bankman-Fried insisted that FTX was solvent in November 2022, stating that there were enough assets to pay all customers back in full. He blamed the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell for the collapse, claiming that the biggest mistake he made was backing down in November 2022.

Bankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year fraud sentence, accused Judge Kaplan of bias, stating that the judge allowed the prosecution to tell the jury that everyone had lost all their money but disallowed the defense from addressing that. He also expressed a desire for a Trump pardon.

In the interviews, Bankman-Fried discussed his shifting political views, from supporting Biden in 2020 to favoring Republicans by 2022. He criticized the administration's crypto policy, stating that it was "incredibly destructive." He also reflected on losing billions he planned to use for altruism.

The bankruptcy estate of FTX has reached $15 billion, supporting Bankman-Fried's claim of solvency. However, repayment to customers has been delayed due to ongoing legal battles, including a $1.8 billion lawsuit from Binance. Bankman-Fried's parents have also pleaded for a Trump pardon on his behalf, aligning with his biased claims following his 2023 sentencing.

When asked about his future plans if he were to be released, Bankman-Fried said, "It's hard to say. Right now, I have 25 years ahead of me, and I try not to think too much about the future because it's out of my control. If my appeal is successful, I'd think hard about how I could be productive again."