Marketplace Tech Sam Bankman-Fried returns to court to challenge fraud verdict
Nov 3, 2025
Jonathan Jones, an investigative reporter and producer for the podcast Reveal, dives into the complexities of the FTX collapse and Sam Bankman-Fried's ongoing appeal. He shares insights from hours of interviews with Bankman-Fried and insiders, revealing the founder's belief in his innocence and claims of insufficient time to present evidence. Jones discusses the fallout from Bankman-Fried's controversial decisions, including the choice of legal representation, and parallels to historical corporate fraud cases like Enron.
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Solvency Claim At The Heart Of Appeal
- Sam Bankman-Fried claims key evidence showing FTX's solvency and his state of mind was blocked from trial.
- He argues the missing $8 billion was a cash-flow timing issue, not proof of intent to defraud.
Long Interview Reveals Unwavering Denial
- Jonathan Jones spent many hours interviewing Sam Bankman-Fried about his perspective and actions.
- SBF repeatedly insisted he did not commit a crime and believed more time would have solved FTX's problems.
Sullivan & Cromwell Blamed For Collapse
- Sam told Jones his single biggest mistake was handing control to law firm Sullivan & Cromwell.
- He claims they pushed FTX into bankruptcy and cut off information that could have aided recovery and his defense.