Move over,USA Twitter Spaces, Sam Bankman-Fried has a new platform to opine on about the collapse of his cryptocurrency empire.
The founder and former CEO of failed crypto exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, also known as SBF, launched a newsletter via Substack on Thursday. The first and only post at this time, titled FTX Pre-Mortem Overview, is a rundown of SBF's version of events that led to the demise of his company.
This post marks the first time Bankman-Fried has spoken out since his arrestin the Bahamas on Dec. 12. SBF is facing multiple criminal charges, ranging from wire fraud to money laundering.
For those who have listened to the multiple audio interviews that Sam Bankman-Fried gave to crypto influencers on Twitter Spaces prior to his arrest, the details in this post will sound quite familiar. SBF continues to claim that he's unaware of what was going on at his crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research, and the improper transfer and use of customer funds from FTX to Alameda.
The head of Alameda Research at the time was SBF's ex-girlfriend Caroline Ellison, who accepteda plea deal and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the case against Bankman-Fried.
SBF claims that Alameda Research was a victim of downturns in the market and eventually "Alameda’s contagion spread to FTX." SBF cites other recently failed crypto firms, like Celsius and Voyager, in an attempt to show that this was an industry-wide issue and not unique to FTX.
Bankman-Fried also continued to criticize FTX's legal counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell. SBF has maintained that he could have continued to raise liquidity which would have saved FTX from failure and made its customers whole. However, according to the former FTX CEO, Sullivan & Cromwell pressured him to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy instead.
FTX was once one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world. Shortly before its collapse, FTX was valued at $32 billion. In November, reports from Coindesk and independent crypto investigator Mike Burgersburg revealed that FTX's hedge fund, Alameda Research, appeared to be insolvent. As a result of this news, competing crypto exchange Binance sold off its holdings of FTX's own crypto token, FTT. FTX customers followed, with billions of dollars being withdrawn from the exchange.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
According to the stock website, Unusual Whales, SBF initially launchedhis Substack with a paid subscription, asking readers for either $8 a month, $80 a year, or $150 for a "founding" yearly subscription. The payment plans have since been removed entirely from SBF's Substack.
Bankman-Fried is currently out on a $250 million bond, awaiting trial at his parents' home per the condition of bail.
Topics Cryptocurrency
NYT mini crossword answers for December 18Best earbuds deal; Save $50 on the JBL Tune FlexNYT Connections hints and answers for December 19: Tips to solve 'Connections' #557.Best Sony TV deal: Save $500 on 75Scams to look out for in 2025NASA performs extreme test on moon spacecraft, releases footageBest iPad deal: Save $99 on Apple iPad (10th Gen)Best audiobook deals: Save up to 80% on holiday titles at AmazonReal Madrid vs. Pachuca 2024 livestream: Watch Intercontinental Cup Final for freeBest holiday travel deal: Save 14% on the AirFly SE Bluetooth transmitterBest Amazon deal: Shop select fitness and outdoor gear and save $25 when you spend $200Best AirPods deal: Save $60 on Apple AirPods Pro 2NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for December 18: Tips to solve Connections #86Sleepmaxxing is TikTok's latest wellness trend, but does it really work?Can you ever cut all ties after a breakup in the digital age?Scientists find 2 stars 'thriving' on the brink of a giant black holeApple reportedly cancels plans for iPhone subscription serviceTennessee vs. Ohio State football livestreams: kickoff time, streaming deals, and moreOpenAI now lets you call ChatGPT on your phoneClemson vs. Texas football livestreams: kickoff time, streaming deals, and more Michael Friedman’s Unwritten Columns Five Hundred Glass Negatives 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off' review: Ready for a remix of the movie and the graphic novels? How to watch the UGA vs. Tennessee football without cable: kickoff time, streaming deals, and more Karl Wirsum’s Casting Call America the Lovely 'Real Housewives' star Jen Shah sentenced to 6.5 years in prison: The internet reacts Writers on Pencils Chekhov On: The Soul A Friend with a Heart Plainness in Diversity Steam Deck OLED sale: Steam Deck OLED consoles are available to buy now Finding Home After the Vietnam War by Zachary Watterson Michael Friedman (1975 Little Red and Big Bad, Part 5 How to use stainless steel sex toys On the Pleasures of Front Matter How to watch 'Blue Beetle' — release date, streaming deals, and more I ♥ John Giorno and So Should You by Chantal McStay Ann Beattie Rearranges the House at Night