FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison (2024)

NEW YORK (AP) — Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unraveled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.

Bankman-Fried, 32, was convicted in November of fraud and conspiracy — a dramatic fall from a crest of success that included a Super Bowl advertisem*nt and celebrity endorsem*nts from stars like quarterback Tom Brady, basketball star Stephen Curry and comedian Larry David.

WATCH: The significance of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud conviction

U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan imposed the sentence in the same Manhattan courtroom where, four months ago, Bankman-Fried testified that his intention had been to revolutionize the emerging cryptocurrency market with his innovative and altruistic ideas, not to steal.

Kaplan said the sentence reflected “that there is a risk that this man will be in position to do something very bad in the future. And it’s not a trivial risk at all.” He added that it was “for the purpose of disabling him to the extent that can appropriately be done for a significant period of time.”

Prior to sentencing, Bankman-Fried had said, “My useful life is probably over. It’s been over for a while now, from before my arrest.”

WATCH: Michael Lewis on his controversial book documenting the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried

Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried had cost customers, investors and lenders over $10 billion by misappropriating billions of dollars to fuel his quest for influence and dominance in the new industry, and had illegally used money from FTX depositors to cover his expenses, which included purchasing luxury properties in the Caribbean, alleged bribes to Chinese officials and private planes.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison (2024)

FAQs

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison? ›

Samuel Bankman-Fried, also known as SBF, 32, of Stanford, California, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture for his orchestration of multiple fraudulent schemes.

How much money did FTX lose? ›

At Bankman-Fried's sentencing hearing, Kaplan agreed. He said FTX's customers had lost some $8bn and that its investors had lost $1.7bn.

What happened on November 8th in FTX? ›

Nov. 8: Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao said his company had signed a letter of intent to buy FTX because the smaller exchange was experiencing a “significant liquidity crunch.” That deal would be contingent, however, on a look at the books at FTX. The price for bitcoin tumbles 13%.

What nationality is Sam Bankman-Fried? ›

Samuel Benjamin Bankman-Fried (born March 5, 1992), commonly known as SBF, is an American entrepreneur who was convicted of fraud and related crimes in November 2023.

Did anyone get money back from FTX? ›

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, left, arrives at a federal courthouse in Manhattan on Feb. 16, 2023. Nearly all customers of FTX will get their money back, plus interest, after the cryptocurrency exchange imploded 17 months ago.

Where did the FTX money go? ›

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and senior staff spent customer funds on technology investments, luxury real estate and political contributions, among other things. The missing funds are at the heart of Bankman-Fried's criminal trial, which kicked off in Manhattan federal court this week.

Why did FTX collapse? ›

FTX crashed due to mismanagement of funds, lack of liquidity and the large volume of withdrawals. Binance announced it would buy FTX to prevent a larger market crash, but quickly bailed out of the deal as more news reports of mishandled customer funds surfaced.

What killed FTX? ›

A surge of customer withdrawals due to concerns over this questionable financial valuation practice and unusually close relationship with Alameda pushed FTX and Alameda into bankruptcy and shook the volatile crypto market.

What was stolen from FTX? ›

When more than $400 million worth of crypto was mysteriously pulled out of the coffers of what was once the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, on the very day that it declared bankruptcy in November of 2022, many initially suspected insiders at the company—including, potentially, then CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, ...

Who is the richest person in cryptocurrency? ›

Changpeng Zhao (CZ)

What does FTX stand for? ›

FTX Trading Ltd., commonly known as FTX (short for "Futures Exchange"), is a bankrupt company that formerly operated a cryptocurrency exchange and crypto hedge fund.

What does a green dancing octopus have to do with FTX? ›

One sunny day, while Greenie was exploring the ocean, it accidentally swam into a mysterious portal. When it came out on the other side, it found itself in a big office with lots of computers and people in suits. It was Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX offices on November 8, 2022!

How much money did the FTX collapse? ›

FTX, once among the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, said this week that nearly all of its customers will receive the money back that they are owed, two years after its monumental collapse. FTX said in a court filing late Tuesday that it owes about $11.2 billion to its creditors.

How much money did FTX wipe out? ›

The bankruptcy of FTX, a Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange, began in November 2022. The collapse of FTX, caused by a spike in customer withdrawals that exposed an $8 billion hole in FTX's accounts, served as the impetus for its bankruptcy.

How much of FTX money is recovered? ›

FTX said Tuesday it had recovered assets associated with the exchange at the time of its collapse with an estimated value of between $14.5 billion and $16.3 billion. Ray, a restructuring specialist, took over as CEO in November 2022 to shepherd what was left of the firm through bankruptcy.

How did FTX pay back? ›

FTX is repaying its customers through the liquidation of its assets, which have appreciated significantly in value, and through the positive effects of a bullish cryptocurrency market. 3. What role did the cryptocurrency market play in FTX's recovery?

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