Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Sam Bankman-Fried: Arrested crypto boss hugs parents as he is denied bail over 'one of biggest financial frauds in US history'

Sam Bankman-Fried: Arrested crypto boss hugs parents as he is denied bail over 'one of biggest financial frauds in US history'

The 30-year-old founder of FTX is being held on criminal charges over an alleged "brazen, multi-year" mass financial fraud, and faces up to 115 years in jail if convicted.

Former cryptocurrency exchange boss Sam Bankman-Fried hugged his parents after being denied bail on charges relating to "one of the biggest financial frauds in American history".

The 30-year-old founder of FTX, has been charged by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with fraud and violating campaign finance laws. He is also being sued.

Following his arrest in the Bahamas, a judge denied him bail, saying he was a "great" flight risk, and sent him to a local correctional facility instead.

Bankman-Fried will remain in custody in the Bahamas until at least 8 February.

The latest developments cap a stunning fall from grace in recent weeks for the man known as SBF, who amassed a fortune valued over $20bn (£16.2bn) as he rode a cryptocurrency boom to build FTX into one of the world's largest exchanges before it abruptly collapsed this year.

Bankman-Fried has previously apologised to customers and acknowledged oversight failings at FTX, but said he does not personally think he has any criminal liability.

Earlier on Tuesday, US Attorney Damian Williams in New York alleged Bankman-Fried had made illegal campaign contributions to Democrats and Republicans with "stolen customer money," labelling it part of one of the "biggest financial frauds in American history".

Bankman-Fried faces a maximum sentence of 115 years in prison if convicted on all eight counts, prosecutors said.

He was arrested at his home in a gated community in the Bahamas capital, Nassau.

In the indictment unsealed on Tuesday morning, US prosecutors claimed Bankman-Fried had engaged in a scheme to defraud FTX's customers by misappropriating their deposits to pay for expenses and debts and to make investments on behalf of his crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research LLC.

He also defrauded lenders to Alameda by providing false and misleading information about the hedge fund's condition, and sought to disguise the money he had earned from committing wire fraud, it is alleged.



Both the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) alleged Mr Bankman-Fried committed fraud in lawsuits filed on Tuesday.

The CFTC sued him, Alameda and FTX, alleging fraud involving digital commodity assets.

Since at least May 2019, FTX raised more than $1.8bn from equity investors in a years-long "brazen, multi-year scheme" in which Bankman-Fried concealed FTX was diverting customer funds to Alameda Research, the SEC alleged.

Bankman-Fried, who founded FTX in 2019, was an unconventional figure who sported wild hair, t-shirts and shorts on panel appearances with statesmen like former American President Bill Clinton.

He became one of the largest Democratic donors, contributing $5.2m (£4.2m) to President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.

Forbes pegged his net worth a year ago at $26.5bn (£21.4bn).

FTX filed for bankruptcy on 11 November, leaving an estimated one million customers and other investors facing losses in the billions of dollars. SBF resigned as chief executive the same day.

The collapse reverberated across the crypto world and sent bitcoin and other digital assets plummeting.

John Ray, Bankman-Fried's successor as CEO, was called to testify before the House Financial Services Committee in the US Congress on Tuesday.

A crypto exchange is a platform on which investors can trade digital tokens such as bitcoin.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×