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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 SBF was arrested in December 2022, and his bail was revoked due to alleged witness tampering.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.
Likelihood of Sam Bankman-Fried Getting an Acquittal Is a 'Hail Mary,' Lawyer Predicts
Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison testified during FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's trial that she was in a "constant state of dread" as assets took a hit from the crypto slump. Lisa Bragança, Bragança Law attorney and former SEC enforcement branch chief, discusses what to make of Ellison's testimony and her outlook for the trial. "The crux of this case is [Sam Bankman-Fried's] state of mind," Bragança said.
The SBF Trial: Ex-Alameda Research CEO Says She Was in a 'Constant State of Dread'
Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of hedge fund Alameda Research and star witness in the government’s criminal fraud case against Sam Bankman-Fried, will take the stand for a third day of testimony. CoinDesk's executive director of global content Emily Parker, who was in the courtroom when Ellison spoke Wednesday, shares some key takeaways.
SBF Trial: Defense Counsel's Cross-Examination of Star Prosecution Witness Meandered
Mark Cohen bumbled at times, asking Caroline Ellison to repeat much of the same information she told prosecutors in testimony the day before.
Russian Attackers May Have Been Behind Hack of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX, Elliptic Says
Research firm Elliptic said some of the stolen funds appear to be linked to Russian cybercriminal groups, citing on-chain analysis.
Did Caroline Ellison and Sam Bankman-Fried Cook Alameda’s Books to Save the World?
“Objection Your Honor, this is confusing."
Alameda Lost Nearly $200M to Phishing Attacks, Ex-Engineer Says
Lax security practices seemed to be a feature of the former crypto trading titan.
The SBF Trial: Caroline Ellison Gears Up For Another Day of Testifying; JPMorgan's Blockchain Moves
"CoinDesk Daily" breaks down the biggest crypto headlines today, including the details of former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison's testimony in the criminal trial against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is getting new support in its legal case against Coinbase. And, JPMorgan debuts tokenized BlackRock shares as collateral with Barclays.
Former Alameda Research CEO Claims Sam Bankman-Fried 'Directed' Her to Commit Crimes
The prosecution's star witness Caroline Ellison is gearing up for another day of testimony against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Ellison told jurors she "sent balance sheets at the direction of Sam that made Alameda's balances look less risky to investors." CoinDesk's executive director of global content Emily Parker shares what it was like in the courtroom Tuesday.
The SBF Trial: Lawyer Explains Why Crypto Details May Be 'Dangerous' for Prosecution
Braden Perry, a former federal enforcement attorney and current partner at Kennyhertz Perry, discusses how to approach a complicated fraud case like the trial regarding FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. "Getting into a lot of the details of crypto to a jury, that likely has not has a bunch of experience with it, may be a little dangerous for the prosecution," Perry said.