3 months ago
During his quality connected Tucker Carlson’s podcast, erstwhile FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) shared that helium does not presumption himself arsenic a transgression and expressed optimism astir the aboriginal of crypto nether President Donald Trump’s administration, among different topics.
During the interview, SBF called his situation beingness a “dystopian” experience, revealed that the rapper Sean “P. Diddy” Combs had been “kind” to him and besides shared details astir his clip down bars.
Journalist and amusement big Tucker Carlson questioned SBF astir whether helium was the biggest transgression successful the crypto business.
In response, SBF said:
“I don’t deliberation I was a criminal. Certainly, the reply to that is no. I mean, I deliberation the DOJ [US Department of Justice] thinks that I whitethorn person been, but I don’t stock their viewpoint.”
Political power and Gensler
SBF was besides questioned astir wherefore helium thinks the Democratic enactment refused to assistance him to debar situation contempt his donations. During his proceedings successful October 2023, evidence revealed that SBF donated up to $119 cardinal to politicians successful the 2022 predetermination cycle.
He replied:
“By precocious 2022, I was giving Republicans privately arsenic overmuch arsenic Democrats, and that started becoming known close astir FTX’s collapse. So, I astir apt played a role.”
SBF added that helium contacted Democratic politicians but did not inquire for favors, arsenic astir of them made their positions known and stayed distant from him “as rapidly arsenic possible.” However, helium added that helium “heard radical saying third-hand bully things” astir him.
SBF besides commented connected erstwhile SEC seat Gary Gensler and said his attack to crypto regularisation was similar “something retired of a nightmare.” He further shared that helium had suspicions that Gensler had political aspirations, which could person motivated him to instrumentality a strict stance toward crypto and beryllium recognized by it.
Former associates
SBF told Carlson that lone a fewer of his erstwhile associates stayed with him aft the ungraded kicked off. However, helium added that successful retrospect, it makes consciousness that astir radical abandoned him considering the unit they were nether amid the high-profile illness of FTX.
SBF said:
“Anyone who was adjacent to maine ended with a weapon successful their head. You know, being told they had 2 options, and 1 of them progressive decades successful prison. I deliberation Ryan Salame is the saddest illustration of that.”
SBF said Salame was charged with “totally bogus crimes” and that prosecutors threatened to complaint his large wife. Salame, who was FTX co-CEO, was convicted to 90 months successful prison by the DOJ connected May 28, 2024, aft pleading blameworthy to 7 fraud and conspiracy counts.
However, he contested the blameworthy plea, saying that helium agreed to plead blameworthy due to the fact that prosecutors promised to driblet investigations into his wife, Michelle Bond. Eventually, Salame withdrew his contestation.
Optimism nether Trump
SBF besides commented connected the improving regulatory scenery nether President Donald Trump’s administration.
He noted that the Trump medication is saying “a batch of bully things” astir the crypto manufacture that disagree from erstwhile President Joe Biden’s stance and expressed optimism astir its aboriginal successful the US.
He added:
“Obviously, it’s the follow-through that matters and that is the authorities we are successful close now, which is ‘what volition travel of this?’ […] So, I deliberation the large question is: erstwhile the rubber meets the road, volition the medication bash what needs to beryllium done and fig retired however to bash it?”
The station Sam Bankman-Fried denies criminality, expresses optimism astir crypto nether Trump appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.
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