The Fall of Sam Bankman Freed

Every generation produces a financier or businessperson who personifies how easy it can be to part fools from their money, part smart people from their senses, and part the media from skepticism. There’s a long list of exhibits of that genre, from Charles Ponzi to Bernie Madoff. Does Sam Bankman-Fried belong in that pantheon? There’s lots of evidence suggesting he does. He – and the crypto-currency empire he built – are the subjects of sprawling fraud and money laundering probes. His company, FTX, is bankrupt and federal prosecutors in New York have indicted the 31 year-old former multi-billionaire for a range of financial crimes. SBF, as he’s known, maintains that he is innocent of any wrongdoing and he still gets to have his day in court. Hannah Miller covers crypto for Bloomberg News and is the host of a new podcast, “Spellcaster,” about the life and times of SBF. 

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