SBF maintains his innocence as he trades rice in jail

As an analyst with a background in finance and experience following high-profile financial cases, I find Sam Bankman-Fried’s situation intriguing. Despite being sentenced to 25 years in jail for fraud, Bankman-Fried maintains his innocence and is currently appealing the conviction.


As a researcher studying the latest developments in the financial world, I’ve come across an intriguing story: Sam Bankman-Fried, one of the co-founders of FTX, has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for fraud allegations. Yet, he remains confident in his innocence and is currently planning his appeal. In the meantime, this determined individual has shifted his focus to an unconventional area: commodities trading. Specifically, he’s delved into the world of rice trading, adding yet another layer to this captivating narrative.

As a researcher studying media coverage of notable figures, I came across an intriguing piece of news. In the first personal interaction with the press since his confinement at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in August 2023, Sam Bankman-Fried granted an interview to William Cohan from Puck News. The arrangement for this conversation was facilitated by Bankman-Fried’s mother, Barbara Fried.

The former FTX CEO, now an inmate, is served vegan meals that other inmates find unusually unpleasant, leading him to primarily consume beans and rice. Remarkably, beans and rice have acquired significant value within the prison system.

As an analyst, I’ve come across intriguing reports suggesting that an alumnus from Jane Street Capital and a co-founder of Alameda Research made light of the superior arbitrage prospects supposedly present within correctional facilities compared to his previous role as a high-frequency trader.

According to Puck’s report, Bankman-Fried appeared noticeably slimmer, having shed approximately 25 pounds (11 kilograms). He looked less plump, less animated, and less restless, with no signs of dark circles under his eyes.

During our recent interview, I kept my gaze locked with Cohan’s eyes for most of the conversation – a behavior I seldom practiced earlier. However, despite this prolonged eye contact, Cohan confessed to having honed the skill of feigning well-being.

SBF maintains his innocence as he trades rice in jail

I find myself confined in a spacious, dormitory-style living quarters within the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), sharing it with 35 other male inmates. Reportedly, half of these men are incarcerated due to charges related to murder, and they’re cooperating with the authorities. The female population primarily occupies other areas of this facility.

It’s said that he’s feeling quite restless with just four televisions and a tablet without internet access, which he primarily uses for gaming.

Although he’s unconcerned about his own safety, he has trouble sleeping due to other inmates frequently disturbing him to inquire about his rice sacks, which they intend to trade with.

SBF thinks he’s “the fall guy”

Last month, Bankman-Fried announced his intention to appeal the court’s decision from November, at which point he was convicted of fraud and money laundering charges. His legal team had previously indicated that this would be their next move following the verdict.

Cohan mentioned that he converses with his new attorney almost every weekday for approximately an hour each time, and his prescribed medication is helping him maintain clear thinking.

The previous FTX exchange leader confessed to Cohan that he had been made a scapegoat for the failure of FTX, admitting his sole mistake was allowing the company to reach a precarious position open to a bank run and deceitful maneuvers from rival firms. A suitable repercussion, as per him, would involve civil rather than criminal sanctions.

Cohan reported that Bankman-Fried expressed doubt over having broken any laws and portrayed himself as an uninvolved figure who hadn’t had enough opportunities to discuss the matter with the prosecution.

He didn’t offer a sincere apology for his role in the approximately $8 billion customer fund misappropriation case where he was found guilty.

According to Bankman-Fried’s statement, he maintains that the legal team he handed over FTX’s leadership to is responsible for the company’s collapse into bankruptcy. Had he remained in charge, he asserts, FTX would have flourished and been valued at an impressive $80 billion.

He acknowledged that he should have made more efforts to find a new leader for Alameda Research other than Caroline Ellison, his ex-girlfriend, after being advised by his lawyers that running both the trading firm and FTX concurrently presented a conflict of interest. Alternatively, he could have disregarded their advice and carried on managing both entities.

Bankman-Fried intends to remain at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) until he files his appeal in July. However, he is not restricted to this location and may be transferred at any point in time. If moved, he is expected to be housed in a facility closer to his family, which is situated on the other side of the country in California.

Should that eventuate, reports indicate it may occur on a prison bus capable of transporting inmates for approximately four months while traveling across the US, making stops to pick up and drop off prisoners en route.

Read More

2024-05-10 09:34