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Host Gregg N. Sofer welcomes Husch Blackwell partner Catherine Hanaway to the podcast to discuss the recent sentencing of Nishad Singh, a former key lieutenant of Sam Bankman-Fried, the cryptocurrency mogul responsible for one of the largest frauds in American business history. Bankman-Fried was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison, but Nishad Singh received no prison time due to his cooperation with government investigators in developing their case against Bankman-Fried. Gregg and Catherine use the Singh case as a jumping-off point to explore some of the most difficult and consequential issues in white collar defense: how and when to self-disclose potentially illegal conduct to the government and how and when to cooperate with government prosecutors.Gregg N. Sofer BiographyFull BiographyGregg counsels businesses and individuals in connection with a range of criminal, civil and regulatory matters, including government investigations, internal investigations, litigation, export control, sanctions, and regulatory compliance. Prior to entering private practice, Gregg served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas—one of the largest and busiest United States Attorney's Offices in the country—where he supervised more than 300 employees handling a diverse caseload, including matters involving complex white-collar crime, government contract fraud, national security, cyber-crimes, public corruption, money laundering, export violations, trade secrets, tax, large-scale drug and human trafficking, immigration, child exploitation and violent crime.Catherine Hanaway BiographyFull BiographyCatherine is a St. Louis-based partner with Husch Blackwell's White Collar, Internal Investigations & Compliance team and a former chair of the firm. She has successfully handled high-profile, bet-the-company, complex matters in federal court and before regulatory agencies and represents leading global and closely-held companies—as well as their officers and owners—in civil and criminal investigations and in business litigation.Before leading Husch Blackwell as its first female chair, Catherine served as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Missouri and as the only woman Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. As U.S. Attorney, she supervised more than 4,000 criminal, affirmative, and defensive civil cases and personally tried cases to jury verdicts. She also supervised and assisted in the development of cutting-edge theories of criminal prosecution.© 2024 Husch Blackwell LLP. All rights reserved. This information is intended only to provide general information in summary form on legal and business topics of the day. The contents hereof do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Specific legal advice should be sought in particular matters.
The spectre of Bitcoin casts its shadow across America.FEATURING:Thomas Hunt (https://twitter.com/MadBitcoins)THIS WEEK:'Uptober' sees 11% Bitcoin price spike as traders ponder ‘nuclear' rallyhttps://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-uptober-gains-crypto-traders-speculate-otc-desk-supply-squeezeSource: CointelegraphBitcoin Price Dips Along with Trump's Chances of Winning Electionhttps://www.newsweek.com/bitcoin-price-dips-trump-election-chances-1978558Source: News WeekBusinessman Claiming To Be Bitcoin (BTC) Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Holds Press Conference in Londonhttps://dailyhodl.com/2024/10/31/businessman-claiming-to-be-bitcoin-btc-creator-satoshi-nakamoto-holds-press-conference-in-london/Source: Daily HodlA Week of Failing To Pay With Bitcoin in El Salvadorhttps://reason.com/2024/10/31/a-week-of-failing-to-pay-with-bitcoin-in-el-salvador/Source: ReasonHow FTX's Young Executives Shattered Their Parentshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/30/technology/ftx-executives-parents.htmlSource: New York TimesFTX CEO hints Nishad Singh should remain free to assist bankruptcy casehttps://cointelegraph.com/news/ftx-john-ray-nishad-singh-free-bankruptcySource: CointelegraphNishad Singh, a Top FTX Executive, Is Given No Prison Time After Cooperationhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/30/technology/nishad-singh-ftx-executive-sentencing.htmlSource: New York TimesSam's Parents Letter to Judgehttps://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/5219dddc0a046812/93106237-full.pdfSource: New York TimesThe Worst of Crypto Is Yet to Comehttps://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/10/crypto-lobbying-trump-harris/680445/Source: The AtlanticPolymarket presidential election odds rife with wash trading — reporthttps://cointelegraph.com/news/polymarket-presidential-election-odds-rife-wash-trading-reportSource: CointelegraphIs democracy for sale? How Donald Trump plans to use election betting to declare early victoryhttps://screenshot-media.com/politics/elections/donald-trump-election-betting-polymarket/Source: Screen-shot Media________________________________________World Crypto Networkhttps://www.worldcryptonetwork.com/On This Day in World Crypto Network Historyhttps://www.worldcryptonetwork.com/onthisday/-----------------------------------------------------Please Subscribe to our Youtube Channelhttps://m.youtube.com/channel/UCR9gdpWisRwnk_k23GsHf
This Day in Legal History: Guiteau Stands Trial for AssassinationOn November 14, 1881, Charles Guiteau stood trial for assassinating President James A. Garfield. Garfield had been shot by Guiteau in July of that year but succumbed to his injuries months later, largely due to medical mismanagement. At the time, sterilization practices were not widely understood or practiced, and Garfield's doctors repeatedly probed his wound with unwashed instruments and hands, leading to a fatal infection. Despite the role of inadequate medical care, Guiteau was held fully responsible for the president's death, setting a notable precedent in criminal law.Guiteau's defense centered on claims of insanity, arguing that he believed he was acting on divine command to remove Garfield. His erratic behavior in court, which included singing, reciting poetry, and accusing his defense attorneys of incompetence, underscored his unstable mental state. However, nineteenth-century legal standards for insanity were narrow and rarely accepted by courts. The prosecution argued that Guiteau understood the wrongfulness of his act, and he was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to death.The case spotlighted serious deficiencies in the legal system's treatment of mental illness and brought attention to the need for clearer guidelines on the insanity defense. It also ignited a broader conversation on the role of medical practices in causation, as some questioned whether Guiteau could be solely responsible for Garfield's death. Guiteau's trial and conviction marked one of the first high-profile uses of the insanity defense in the United States and influenced subsequent legal reforms regarding both mental health assessments and standards of criminal responsibility.President-elect Donald Trump has named Matt Gaetz, a firebrand Republican congressman with a face that might terrify even the devil himself, as his nominee for attorney general. Gaetz, who has previously faced scrutiny from the Justice Department over sex trafficking allegations, will replace current leadership to help Trump “end Weaponized Government” and enact an aggressive conservative agenda. Gaetz, who resigned from Congress immediately, is known for his unconventional political moves, including his role in ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and for his call to dismantle federal agencies like the FBI. His appointment has already triggered controversy, with Senate Republicans like Lisa Murkowski expressing skepticism about his qualifications and intentions. Gaetz's background has raised security clearance concerns, given the history of investigations into his conduct.The nomination aligns with Trump's stated intentions to reshape the Justice Department, positioning the attorney general as crucial to plans for mass deportations, pardons of January 6 rioters, and prosecutorial retribution. Gaetz's legal experience consists mainly of work at a Florida law firm before he entered politics, though he has recently championed populist stances on antitrust enforcement, supporting the Federal Trade Commission's fight against noncompete clauses and cheering the Justice Department's antitrust case against Google. Gaetz's nomination fuels concern among former Justice Department officials, who fear that he could further politicize an institution traditionally independent from White House influence.Trump taps firebrand congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general | ReutersIn the corruption trial of former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, prosecutors revealed that jurors were mistakenly shown unredacted evidence during deliberations. However, they argued this error does not warrant overturning the conviction, asserting that the evidence against Menendez was overwhelming. Menendez, a former New Jersey senator, was convicted in August of corruption charges that included accepting bribes like gold bars and cash, allegedly in exchange for political favors. He has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal. The Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office indicated that both the defense and prosecution missed the unredacted material during trial, emphasizing that it likely did not affect the jury's guilty verdict on all 16 counts, including wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and illegal foreign agency activities. Menendez, once a senior figure in the Senate as the chair of the foreign relations committee, now faces sentencing in January with a potential for decades in prison.Bob Menendez jury was mistakenly shown improper evidence, prosecutors say | ReutersGary Wang, former chief technology officer of FTX, is assisting federal prosecutors by developing software to detect fraud in both stock and cryptocurrency markets. Wang, who previously wrote the code allowing ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried to siphon billions from FTX customers, has been cooperating with the government since FTX's collapse. Prosecutors are asking for leniency in Wang's upcoming sentencing, highlighting his proactive efforts to prevent similar crimes. His new tool, details of which remain confidential to protect its effectiveness, is valued by prosecutors for its potential in identifying financial crimes. This cooperation follows Bankman-Fried's recent 25-year prison sentence for fraud and misuse of $8 billion in customer funds, while other former FTX associates, like Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh, received lighter sentences due to their cooperation. Wang, the last of Bankman-Fried's close associates awaiting sentencing, was instrumental in exposing the scheme by testifying that Bankman-Fried directed him to alter FTX's code to grant Alameda Research unauthorized access to customer funds.Bankman-Fried lieutenant builds fraud detection tool for prosecutors | ReutersA federal appeals court has struck down a New York law that heavily restricted antiques dealers from selling or displaying ivory and rhinoceros horn items, ruling it unconstitutional. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the law, which limited ivory content in antiques to less than 20%, overstepped by restricting dealers' First Amendment commercial speech rights. Judges argued that the law prevented dealers from communicating important details about legally marketable items, deeming this an excessive speech restriction. While federal law already restricts ivory sales under the Endangered Species Act, it allows for goods with up to 50% ivory, whereas New York's stricter limit of 20% was intended to curb poaching of endangered species. However, the court ruled that New York's law also blocked the sale of items permitted in interstate and international trade, making it too broad. The decision was a setback for animal rights groups that supported the law to protect vulnerable wildlife, although the Humane Society noted that New York could still enforce the law against local buyers.New York ivory ban for antiques dealers voided by US appeals court | ReutersLaw firm revenue surged nearly 12% in the first three quarters of the year, driven by increased demand for legal services and higher productivity, according to Citi's law firm banking group. The top 50 law firms saw especially notable gains, with revenues up 14%, demand growth at 3.6%, and productivity rising by 2.9%. Gretta Rusanow from Citi's Law Firm Group highlighted 2023 as potentially one of the strongest years for the industry, citing steady demand momentum quarter by quarter. Industry-wide demand rose by 3.2%, with lawyer productivity improving as headcount growth slowed to 1.3%, returning to historical norms. Expense growth was 7.5%, with overhead costs increasing by 8.2% and compensation expenses by 6.7%. Legal services demand spanned diverse practice areas, notably in litigation, regulatory issues, investment management, and bankruptcy. Although transactional demand has been quiet, Rusanow anticipates a rebound in mergers and acquisitions activity. Law firms also invested in technology upgrades, including new practice management tools and generative AI, which contributed to higher expenses. Law Firm Revenue Soars 12% as Lawyers Get Back to Being Busy This is a public episode. 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The U.S. government is intensifying its efforts to recover $13.25 million in political contributions linked to former FTX executives, including Sam Bankman-Fried and Nishad Singh. This move underscores the ongoing fallout from the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which was once a leading player in the crypto market.Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, is already serving a 25-year prison sentence for his role in the company's financial fraud. Bankman-Fried was found guilty of stealing billions of dollars from FTX customers to fund his hedge fund, Alameda Research. His actions led to the collapse of FTX, causing significant financial losses for thousands of investors.Nishad Singh, a former chief engineer at FTX, was granted leniency by a federal judge due to his cooperation with the government. Singh had a significant role in the company's operations and was a key witness in the trial against Bankman-Fried. Despite his involvement in the fraud, Singh's cooperation was seen as crucial, and he was sentenced to three years of supervised release.The recovery of political contributions is part of a broader effort to hold former FTX executives accountable for their actions. The U.S. government is seeking to claw back funds that were used for political donations, highlighting the misuse of funds that contributed to the company's downfall.The saga of FTX serves as a cautionary tale about the risks and consequences of financial mismanagement in the cryptocurrency industry. As the U.S. government continues to pursue those responsible, it underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in financial dealings.
Matt and Nic return for another week of news and deals. In this episode: We check in on the presidential odds State races to watch As part of their quarterly earnings release, Microstrategy announced a plan to raise $42 billion in the next 3 years in order to buy more Bitcoin. The raise will be evenly split between equity offerings and sales of fixed-income securities. Coinbase pledged a future donation of $25 million to Fairshake to be used for the 2026 midterm elections. Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering for FTX, avoided prison time following his guilty plea and cooperation in the investigation into the exchange's collapse. Blackrock's IBIT Bitcoin ETF saw $872 million of net inflows on Wednesday, which marked a new record for the fund since the launch in January. The US Treasury released a quarterly fiscal report this week that had a section dedicated to digital assets, noting stablecoins growth has caused "a modest increase in demand for short-dated treasuries." The Bank for International Settlements announced they are no longer working on Project mBridge, a cross-border payment network for CBDCs backed by China, Hong Kong, UAE, Saudia Arabia, among others. Content mentioned: Treasury Presentation to TBAC Fortune, Wash Trading on Polymarket Blockchain Association, Regulation by Enforcement Sponsor notes: Polymarket and the Power of Collective Intelligence: In Coin Metrics' State of the Network issue 283, we dive into how Polymarket's prediction markets operate on Polygon and analyze data behind the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election Withum's Digital Currency and Blockchain Technology Team specializes in crypto-assets, offering accounting, tax and advisory solutions to fortify trust in a dynamic industry. Contact them today to get started. - withum.com/crypto
**Former FTX Executives' Sentencing: A Tale of Leniency and Justice**In a recent development in the FTX saga, Nishad Singh, a former top executive at the cryptocurrency exchange, has been spared jail time despite his involvement in significant financial fraud. Singh, 29, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $11 billion. This lenient outcome has sparked widespread debate about the fairness of the justice system, particularly when it comes to high-profile cases involving financial crimes.One of the most notable figures in this saga is Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX. Bankman-Fried, 32, is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence imposed by Judge Kaplan. His case was highly publicized due to the scale of the financial fraud and the impact it had on investors and the broader cryptocurrency market.The contrast between Singh's sentence and Bankman-Fried's is striking. While Singh received a relatively light sentence for his cooperation, Bankman-Fried was given a much harsher penalty for his role in the scandal. This disparity has raised questions about the consistency of justice in such high-stakes cases.The sentencing of these former FTX executives serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges in prosecuting financial crimes. It also highlights the importance of cooperation in determining the severity of sentences, as seen in Singh's case. As the legal proceedings continue to unfold, it is clear that the FTX saga will remain a significant chapter in the history of cryptocurrency regulation and the pursuit of justice in financial crimes.In summary, while Nishad Singh's lenient sentence has sparked controversy, it underscores the nuanced approach to justice in high-profile cases like those involving Sam Bankman-Fried and the broader FTX scandal. The ongoing legal battles will continue to shape our understanding of accountability in the financial sector.
VLOG II: FTX Nishad Singh sentenced to "time served" - for his cooperation amid argument that he didn't know, or joined late. Inner City Press live tweeted the sentencing & now extra on Substack https://matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/extra-after-sbf-25-years-nishad-singh & X for Subscribers: https://x.com/innercitypress/status/1851731399243411631
This Day in Legal History: Lend-Lease ActOn October 30, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved an unprecedented $1 billion in aid to support Allied forces fighting in World War II, marking a critical milestone under the Lend-Lease Act. This act, passed earlier in March 1941, allowed the United States to provide essential military supplies to countries whose defense was deemed vital to U.S. interests, even as the U.S. maintained a stance of non-engagement. By authorizing such substantial aid, Roosevelt helped secure critical resources for Allies, particularly the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, who were facing significant challenges against Axis powers. The agreement transformed the U.S. from a neutral party to an "arsenal of democracy," emphasizing its commitment to the Allies while avoiding direct involvement in combat. Lend-Lease assistance encompassed a range of support, from food and raw materials to airplanes, ships, and ammunition. This aid was instrumental in sustaining Allied resistance, as it enabled countries like Britain to continue fighting even as they faced severe shortages. The success of the Lend-Lease program also laid the groundwork for formal alliances and collaborative military strategies between the U.S. and the Allied nations. While the U.S. would formally enter the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Lend-Lease Act solidified its role as a major force in the global conflict.The Lend-Lease Act ultimately expanded beyond initial estimates, with over $50 billion in supplies and support sent to Allied nations by the war's end, demonstrating the scale of U.S. support. This historic decision on October 30 marked the beginning of the U.S.'s active yet indirect involvement in World War II, shaping not only the course of the war but also the post-war geopolitical landscape, where the U.S. emerged as a primary superpower.Nishad Singh, former FTX engineering director, will be sentenced Wednesday for his role in the collapse of FTX, where his former boss, Sam Bankman-Fried, misappropriated $8 billion in customer funds. Singh previously pled guilty to six felony counts, cooperating with prosecutors as a witness in Bankman-Fried's fraud trial, where Bankman-Fried received a 25-year sentence. Singh admitted to involvement in FTX's fraud and participation as a “straw donor” in political donations made by Bankman-Fried. Prosecutors have recommended leniency for Singh, who they say joined the conspiracy late and provided significant assistance, while his lawyers seek no prison time. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who sentenced another FTX executive, Caroline Ellison, to two years for her role, will make the final decision. Singh testified he confronted Bankman-Fried about FTX's financial shortfall in September 2022, though Bankman-Fried assured him they could cover the losses.Bankman-Fried's ex-deputy Singh to be sentenced over crypto fraud | ReutersThe University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, has reported a 64% surge in applicants this year, attributed partly to Vice President Kamala Harris, an alumna currently running for president. The school, formerly known as UC Hastings College of the Law, has received 633 applications, a significant increase from last year's 385, and almost double the 33% rise in the national law school applicant pool. Dean David Faigman noted that many applicants are inspired by Harris's legal career, which she highlights in her campaign. As a public institution, the law school cannot endorse political candidates, but it prominently features Harris on its website with content about her time there. This trend mirrors a 33% increase in applications the school experienced in 2020 after Harris joined Joe Biden's presidential ticket. Legal experts suggest that both Harris's candidacy and the early application process this year have contributed to the heightened interest in law school.Kamala Harris' law school reports an applicant surge as election nears | ReutersThe FDA faces scrutiny over its process for declaring drug shortages after reversing its decision on the availability of Eli Lilly's popular weight-loss drug, tirzepatide. Due to high demand for such weight-loss treatments, compounding pharmacies have produced lower-cost versions of the drug, marketed by Lilly under Mounjaro and Zepbound, while it was in short supply. The FDA's decision to declare the tirzepatide shortage resolved, after confirming increased supply with Lilly, prompted a lawsuit from the Outsourcing Facilities Association and a compounding pharmacy, FarmaKeio, arguing the FDA's decision lacked transparency and public input. The plaintiffs claim the FDA's methods are unclear, especially since the law allows compounded versions of a drug only when a shortage is officially recognized. Attorneys argue that without clear guidelines on when shortages end, compounded alternatives may become less accessible, affecting patients who rely on affordable options. This case also comes amid broader judicial scrutiny of federal agency authority, as recent court rulings challenge long-standing deference to agency discretion. To avoid further legal conflicts, the FDA requested to reassess its shortage determination process, allowing for public input and additional data on tirzepatide availability.Demand for Obesity Drug Copycats Pressures FDA's Shortage ReviewNew York City has officially decriminalized jaywalking, allowing pedestrians to cross streets outside of crosswalks and against traffic signals without risk of a fine, which previously could reach up to $300. Historically, jaywalking laws were used disproportionately against Black and Latino residents, a key factor motivating the City Council's recent decision. Proponents argue that the new law will reduce unnecessary policing of a practice most New Yorkers see as routine, with some considering jaywalking integral to the city's culture. However, the change comes amid rising pedestrian fatalities; nearly 200 jaywalking-related deaths have occurred over five years. Critics worry the law will make streets less safe, while city officials stress that pedestrians should remain cautious and use marked crossings when possible. The law will go into effect in 120 days, accompanied by a public safety campaign.Jaywalking Is a New York Tradition. Now It's Legal, Too. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Host Jennifer Sanasie breaks down the news in the crypto industry including filings from Nishad Singh's lawyers and the latest cyberattack at Radiant Capital."CoinDesk Daily" host Jennifer Sanasie breaks down the biggest headlines in the crypto industry today, as Nishad Singh's lawyers have asked a federal judge to spare him prison. Plus, lending protocol Radiant Capital lost more than $50 million in an apparent cyberattack and Italy is raising capital gain taxes on cryptocurrencies.-This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Christine Lee, Jennifer Sanasie, Melissa Montañez and edited by Victor Chen.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The collapse of FTX, once a behemoth in the cryptocurrency market, has left a trail of devastation and legal repercussions. At the heart of this saga are key figures, including Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), Caroline Ellison, and Nishad Singh. Here's a look at their roles and the recent developments in their cases.Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, was once a prominent figure in the crypto world, known for his philanthropic efforts and political influence. However, his downfall was swift and severe. In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy, revealing a massive $8 billion shortfall in customer funds. The subsequent investigation revealed a complex web of deceit and mismanagement, with Bankman-Fried at the center.In March 2024, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the collapse of FTX and its affiliated hedge fund Alameda Research. The conviction on seven fraud and conspiracy counts marked a significant milestone in the U.S. government's crackdown on cryptocurrency-related crimes.Caroline Ellison, Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend and former CEO of Alameda Research, played a crucial role in the collapse. She pleaded guilty to fraud soon after FTX's collapse and cooperated with authorities, providing key testimony against Bankman-Fried. Ellison's defense team has argued for leniency, highlighting her substantial cooperation with the government and her emotional testimony about Bankman-Fried's mistreatment and deceit. Despite this, her sentencing remains uncertain, with prosecutors acknowledging her exemplary cooperation but not recommending a specific sentence.Nishad Singh, FTX's former engineering chief, has also sought leniency. His lawyers argue that he deserves mercy due to his limited role in the implosion, his immediate cooperation with investigators, and his commitment to an exemplary life. Singh's plea for leniency underscores the complexities of accountability within the FTX debacle, where multiple individuals were involved in various capacities.The cases of Bankman-Fried, Ellison, and Singh serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of financial mismanagement and deceit in the cryptocurrency space. As the legal proceedings continue, it is clear that the legacy of FTX will be one of caution and accountability in the rapidly evolving world of digital assets.
Ryan Salame, the former CEO of FTX Digital Markets, is headed to prison, but not before sharing his side of the story. Ryan talks candidly about the decisions he made at FTX, why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets in the days leading up to its bankruptcy, and the backstory behind the Thai prostitute trading scheme to unfreeze Alameda's funds in China. He also disputes the claims about his campaign finance violations, while explaining why he thinks Caroline Ellison is “at least as guilty as SBF” and that Nishad Singh lied. Show highlights: Ryan's life pre-FTX and how he got into crypto His three attempts to quit working at FTX How Ryan committed campaign finance violations Why Ryan disputes claims that FTX misled banks and misused customer funds How Ryan was involved in setting up trading accounts with the identities of Thai prostitutes to unfreeze Alameda's funds Whether Ryan was involved in bribing a Chinese official Why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets from his FTX accounts right before its bankruptcy Why Ryan claims he was cooperative with prosecutors, despite common belief How he refuses to comment on his wife Michelle Bond's case, but denies wrongdoing Why Ryan pleaded the Fifth Amendment His allegations that prosecutors lied to his lawyers about whether they would pursue charges against Michelle Why he thinks that SBF could have never coerced Caroline Ellison and whether Ellison is “equally guilty” as SBF Why Ryan believes Nishad Singh lied to save himself and his take on Gary Wang How, if he didn't know about the fraud, he could be so certain that Caroline or Nishad lied Whether the legal advice from FTX's and Alameda's lawyers should have been considered in Bankman-Fried's trial Whether testimony from more employees could have created reasonable doubt in SBF's trial Why Ryan is going to law school His plans post-prison What Ryan learned from the FTX debacle Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Mantle Guest: Ryan Salame, former CEO of FTX Digital Markets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As former FTX executive Ryan Salame heads to prison, he blames Alameda's lawyers, says prosecutors misled his attorneys, and explains why he thinks Caroline Ellison is at least as guilty as Sam Bankman-Fried.Ryan Salame, the former CEO of FTX Digital Markets, is headed to prison, but not before sharing his side of the story. Ryan talks candidly about the decisions he made at FTX, why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets in the days leading up to its bankruptcy, and the backstory behind the Thai prostitute trading scheme to unfreeze Alameda's funds in China. He also disputes the claims about his campaign finance violations, while explaining why he thinks Caroline Ellison is “at least as guilty as SBF” and that Nishad Singh lied. Show highlights:Ryan's life pre-FTX and how he got into cryptoHis three attempts to quit working at FTXHow Ryan committed campaign finance violationsWhy Ryan disputes claims that FTX misled banks and misused customer fundsHow Ryan was involved in setting up trading accounts with the identities of Thai prostitutes to unfreeze Alameda's fundsWhether Ryan was involved in bribing a Chinese officialWhy he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets from his FTX accounts right before its bankruptcyWhy Ryan claims he was cooperative with prosecutors, despite common beliefHow he refuses to comment on his wife Michelle Bond's case, but denies wrongdoingWhy Ryan pleaded the Fifth AmendmentHis allegations that prosecutors lied to his lawyers about whether they would pursue charges against MichelleWhy he thinks that SBF could have never coerced Caroline Ellison and whether Ellison is “equally guilty” as SBFWhy Ryan believes Nishad Singh lied to save himself and his take on Gary WangHow, if he didn't know about the fraud, he could be so certain that Caroline or Nishad liedWhether the legal advice from FTX's and Alameda's lawyers should have been considered in Bankman-Fried's trialWhether testimony from more employees could have created reasonable doubt in SBF's trialWhy Ryan is going to law schoolHis plans post-prisonWhat Ryan learned from the FTX debacleVisit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.comThank you to our sponsors!PolkadotMantleGuest:Ryan Salame, former CEO of FTX Digital MarketsUnchained Podcast is Produced by Laura Shin Media, LLC. Distributed by CoinDesk.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ryan Salame, a former high-ranking executive at the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has begun his 7.5-year prison sentence. In a surprising move, Salame updated his LinkedIn profile to announce his "new position" as an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland. This unusual post has garnered significant attention online, with many users expressing their surprise and amusement.Salame's journey to prison is closely tied to the downfall of FTX and its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). SBF, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison, was at the center of a massive cryptocurrency fraud scandal. Salame, along with other top executives like Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh, pleaded guilty to various charges including operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and making illegal campaign contributions.Salame's role in the scandal involved conspiring with SBF to hide the financial instability of FTX and using company funds for personal and political gain. Despite his cooperation with prosecutors, Salame's actions were deemed severe enough to warrant a significant prison term. His LinkedIn post, while seemingly light-hearted, underscores the stark reality of his situation and the public's fascination with the dramatic fall of these once-powerful figures in the cryptocurrency world.As Salame begins his prison term, it serves as a reminder of the consequences of financial malfeasance and the importance of accountability in the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrency. The saga of FTX and its executives continues to captivate audiences, highlighting both the potential for financial innovation and the risks associated with unchecked ambition and greed.
Ryan Salame, the former CEO of FTX Digital Markets, is headed to prison, but not before sharing his side of the story. Ryan talks candidly about the decisions he made at FTX, why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets in the days leading up to its bankruptcy, and the backstory behind the Thai prostitute trading scheme to unfreeze Alameda's funds in China. He also disputes the claims about his campaign finance violations, while explaining why he thinks Caroline Ellison is “at least as guilty as SBF” and that Nishad Singh lied. Show highlights: Ryan's life pre-FTX and how he got into crypto His three attempts to quit working at FTX How Ryan committed campaign finance violations Why Ryan disputes claims that FTX misled banks and misused customer funds How Ryan was involved in setting up trading accounts with the identities of Thai prostitutes to unfreeze Alameda's funds Whether Ryan was involved in bribing a Chinese official Why he withdrew millions of dollars worth of assets from his FTX accounts right before its bankruptcy Why Ryan claims he was cooperative with prosecutors, despite common belief How he refuses to comment on his wife Michelle Bond's case, but denies wrongdoing Why Ryan pleaded the Fifth Amendment His allegations that prosecutors lied to his lawyers about whether they would pursue charges against Michelle Why he thinks that SBF could have never coerced Caroline Ellison and whether Ellison is “equally guilty” as SBF Why Ryan believes Nishad Singh lied to save himself and his take on Gary Wang How, if he didn't know about the fraud, he could be so certain that Caroline or Nishad lied Whether the legal advice from FTX's and Alameda's lawyers should have been considered in Bankman-Fried's trial Whether testimony from more employees could have created reasonable doubt in SBF's trial Why Ryan is going to law school His plans post-prison What Ryan learned from the FTX debacle Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com Thank you to our sponsors! Polkadot Mantle Guest: Ryan Salame, former CEO of FTX Digital Markets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This Day in Legal History: Bill of Rights Sent to US States for RatificationOn September 25, 1789, the United States Congress sent twelve proposed constitutional amendments to the state legislatures for ratification. These amendments were designed to safeguard individual liberties and limit the power of the federal government, addressing concerns raised during the ratification of the Constitution. By 1791, ten of the amendments were ratified, becoming the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights includes fundamental protections, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, the right to a fair trial, and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.Notably, two of the twelve proposed amendments were not immediately ratified. One related to Congressional representation and never received the necessary support from the states. The other, concerning Congressional pay, lay dormant for over two centuries before finally being ratified in 1992, becoming the 27th Amendment. This long-delayed ratification demonstrated the lasting nature of the constitutional amendment process. The Bill of Rights has since served as a cornerstone of American democracy, influencing both U.S. law and constitutional frameworks worldwide.A Houston bankruptcy court has approved the sale of assets from Alex Jones' Infowars media platform, marking a significant step in liquidating Jones' estate. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Lopez authorized Chapter 7 trustee Christopher R. Murray to employ a sales broker and begin auctioning the assets of Free Speech Systems LLC, Infowars' parent company. This liquidation aims to help Jones pay $1.5 billion in defamation judgments from lawsuits related to his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. The auction will primarily focus on Infowars' intellectual property, including domain names, trademarks, and social media accounts, with bidding set to end on Nov. 8 and an auction on Nov. 13. Murray may later include Jones' personal intellectual property in the sale. The bankruptcy court previously converted Jones' personal Chapter 11 case into a Chapter 7 liquidation, enabling the victims' families to pursue their claims. Disputes remain over how funds from the sale will be distributed to creditors.Alex Jones' Infowars IP Heads to Auction After Judge ApprovalA new medical report by neurosurgeon Aaron Filler has concluded that 97-year-old Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman is "fully capable" of performing her judicial duties. Released by Newman's lawyers, the report follows her suspension by the court's Judicial Council after she refused a neurological exam with an independent doctor. Filler, a physician and attorney, used advanced brain scans and cited objective data to support his findings, dismissing concerns over subjective interpretation. Filler also compared Newman's current verbal and analytical abilities with his prior interactions with her during legal cases in 2019 and 2022. This report counters previous exams that raised questions about the independence of Newman's physicians, as her colleagues suggested potential conflicts of interest. Newman's legal team has consistently defended her health and capacity, and this latest report is a key piece in their efforts to overturn her suspension. The Judicial Committee has not yet commented on the new findings.Judge Newman Fully Capable to Serve, New Physician Report SaysA lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California claims that law firm Dentons assisted vape distributor Next Level Holdings in sabotaging vape manufacturer Avid Holdings. The complaint alleges that Dentons, through its offices in Salt Lake City and Shanghai, helped orchestrate a scheme to take control of Avid's assets, cut out its founder, and drain its resources. As part of this plan, Avid claims that Dentons hacked into the laptop of its founder, citing Google Drive logs linking the firm's IP address to the breach. Next Level allegedly used the stolen information to mislead judges in prior legal disputes with Avid. Dentons has not yet commented on the lawsuit. Avid's attorney, Colin Hagan, declined to provide further remarks. The lawsuit follows Dentons' recent severing of ties with its Chinese affiliate, Dacheng Law Offices.Dentons Assisted Laptop Hack, Vape Manufacturer Lawsuit ClaimsCaroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research and ex-girlfriend of Sam Bankman-Fried, was sentenced to two years in prison for her involvement in the $8 billion fraud linked to FTX's collapse. Despite her cooperation with prosecutors, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan emphasized that remorse and cooperation shouldn't serve as a "get out of jail free card" in such a serious case. Ellison had pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, which could have carried a sentence of up to 110 years. Her testimony was pivotal in securing Bankman-Fried's conviction, as she revealed that he directed her to misappropriate customer funds. While the prosecution acknowledged her critical role in convicting Bankman-Fried, who is serving 25 years, the judge still deemed her "gravely culpable" in the fraud. Ellison expressed deep regret for her actions and will begin serving her sentence in November. Other FTX executives who cooperated, Nishad Singh and Gary Wang, are scheduled for sentencing later in 2024.Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend Ellison gets two-year sentence over FTX fraud | ReutersA federal judge has ruled that a New York City law requiring food delivery companies to share customer data with restaurants is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres sided with DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats, determining that the law violated the First Amendment by improperly regulating commercial speech. The law, enacted in 2021 to support restaurants recovering from the pandemic, required delivery services to share customer names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, and order details with restaurants. The companies argued that this violated customer privacy and data security and hurt their business by allowing restaurants to use the data for marketing purposes. The judge found the city had less invasive ways to help restaurants, such as letting customers opt to share their data or offering incentives. While DoorDash welcomed the ruling, restaurant industry representatives criticized it, arguing it harms small businesses, and urged the city to appeal.Judge declares NYC law on sharing food delivery customers' data unconstitutional | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
This Day in Legal History: Judiciary Act of 1789On September 24, 1789, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, laying the foundation for the federal judiciary as we know it today. This landmark legislation established a three-tiered court system, consisting of district courts, circuit courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court at its pinnacle. The Act also created the position of Attorney General to represent the federal government in legal matters. One of its most critical provisions was the authorization of six justices for the Supreme Court, marking the Court's formal establishment.The Judiciary Act granted the Supreme Court the authority to hear appeals from state courts, ensuring the supremacy of federal law. Additionally, it gave lower federal courts jurisdiction over specific types of cases, including those involving the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties. Perhaps most famously, the Act's Section 25 allowed the Supreme Court to review decisions of state courts when federal issues were at stake, further centralizing federal judicial power.This Act played a pivotal role in shaping the balance of powers between the federal government and the states. It ensured that federal laws would have a uniform interpretation across the country. While it has been amended many times, the Judiciary Act of 1789 remains a cornerstone of U.S. legal history, establishing the basic framework for the judicial branch.In 2021, Eric Adams promised to reform New York City's flawed property tax system, which many blame for exacerbating housing inequality. The current system results in tax disparities, with upscale Manhattan properties often taxed at lower rates than homes in the outer boroughs. Despite Adams' campaign pledges, his administration has yet to introduce significant reforms. Instead, it has fought a 2017 lawsuit filed by Tax Equity Now New York, which argues the system unfairly burdens minority communities and renters. The lawsuit was revived in 2023, and the court ruled that the city has the authority to address these tax inequalities. Adams, however, faces a political dilemma. Any changes would likely increase taxes for many homeowners, threatening key voting blocs. Property taxes are a critical revenue source, generating $32.7 billion in the last fiscal year. City officials prefer state-led reforms, but without a strong push from Adams, the state is unlikely to act. The ongoing lawsuit may force the city to respond more directly. The next court hearing is set for October 2024, where the city will be required to submit documents explaining its tax assessments.Eric Adams Fights Legal Challenge to NYC's ‘Unfair' Property TaxAnd on the subject of NYC and the need to focus on state-based reforms, in my column this week, I discuss New York City's retreat from a proposed partnership tax, emphasizing how it reveals the limitations local governments face in tax policy. Municipalities like New York operate under state control, making meaningful tax reform at the city level nearly impossible. Even when a city attempts to innovate, its tax policies must align with state rules, or risk legal and administrative challenges. In this case, New York City's plan to depart from the state's method of taxing partnership income posed significant compliance difficulties and potential capital flight. Ultimately, the city reverted to the state's tax model, acknowledging the practical benefits of consistency. This outcome reflects broader issues cities face: compliance costs, capital mobility, and state-imposed restrictions all limit local tax initiatives. In states like Wisconsin and Colorado, further limitations on local taxation exist through caps or voter approval requirements. The core message is clear: real tax reform must happen at the state level, as municipalities lack the autonomy to make meaningful changes on their own.NYC Partnership Tax Retreat Shows Change Must Come at State LevelThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit heard arguments in Garfield County v. Biden, a case challenging President Joe Biden's authority to restore the boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments. The plaintiffs, including Utah and Garfield County, argue that the monuments, covering over 3 million acres, violate the Antiquities Act by exceeding the “smallest area compatible” for preserving historical sites. The monuments, initially designated by Presidents Clinton and Obama, were reduced in size by President Trump before Biden reinstated them in 2021.The central question before the court is whether presidential actions under the Antiquities Act can be reviewed by courts. A lower court had dismissed the case, ruling that Biden's actions were not subject to judicial review. The Tenth Circuit must now decide if courts can assess the legality of these presidential designations.The case could set a precedent on whether future presidents can use the Antiquities Act to protect vast expanses of land, affecting federal land management and resource development. The lawsuit may ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court, where Chief Justice John Roberts has previously expressed interest in revisiting the scope of the Antiquities Act.Biden's National Monuments Power Set for Tenth Circuit ScrutinyCaroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research and ex-girlfriend of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, is set to be sentenced for her role in the $8 billion fraud linked to FTX's collapse. Ellison, who has pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, cooperated with prosecutors in Bankman-Fried's trial, where he was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Ellison's sentencing is expected to be more lenient, as her cooperation was deemed "extraordinary" by prosecutors, who highlighted her remorse.Ellison's cooperation involved meeting with prosecutors around 20 times to assist in building the case against Bankman-Fried, whom she testified had directed her to misuse FTX customer funds to cover losses at Alameda Research. Her testimony revealed she felt relief after the fraud was exposed, lifting a burden of lies. While Ellison could face up to 110 years in prison, her lawyers have argued for no jail time due to her extensive assistance. Two other FTX executives, Nishad Singh and Gary Wang, are also awaiting sentencing later this year.Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend Ellison to be sentenced over crypto fraud | ReutersTaft Stettinius & Hollister, a U.S. law firm with 925 attorneys, announced its merger with Denver-based Sherman & Howard, which has 125 lawyers across the Mountain West region. The merger, effective January 1, 2025, is part of a broader trend of law firm consolidations in 2024. This merger will bring the combined firms' projected revenue to $810 million. Taft has been expanding over the past 16 years, targeting high-growth markets like Denver and Phoenix. Sherman & Howard, facing challenges competing with larger firms, sought the merger to gain broader expertise and ensure long-term business viability. Several other law firm mergers have been announced in September, signaling increased consolidation in the legal industry.US law firm merger streak continues with Taft tie-up | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Het aantal rechtszaken in nasleep van de grote 2022-bearmarket is eigenlijk niet te tellen. Toch doen we in deze Cryptocast een poging. Want nu Sam Bankman-Fried, de gevallen FTX-topman, voor 25 jaar de cel in gaat, kunnen we ons richten op al die andere zaken die nog lopen. Neem bijvoorbeeld Binance, waar zowel het bedrijf zelf als topman Changpeng Zhao (CZ) onder vuur liggen. Voor CZ zelf zouden aanklachten over het witwassen van geld zomaar een gevangenisstraf van 18 maanden of meer kunnen opleveren. De Amerikaanse tak van Binance heeft weten te schikken voor het giga-bedrag van 4,3 miljard euro en is daardoor uit zicht van het Amerikaanse Ministerie van Justitie. Toch ziet beurswaakhond SEC nog wel ruimte voor een zaak. Daar is het illegaal aanbieden van effecten de inzet, maar ook het vermengen van klanttegoeden met tegoeden van het bedrijf. En dat doet ons weer sterk aan FTX denken. Over FTX gesproken: ook de belangrijkste collega's van Sam Bankman-Fried gaan niet vrijuit. De meeste van hen getuigden tegen hun baas en vriend, in ruil voor strafvermindering. Figuren als Gary Wang, Nishad Singh en Caroline Ellison zullen dus niet voor tientallen jaren achter de tralies belanden, maar moeten misschien wel rekening houden met een korter verblijf in de gevangenis. Ondertussen is er in Nederland ook een belangrijke rechtszaak gaande: die van Tornado Cash-ontwikkelaar Alexey Pertsev. In zijn geval is het een stuk moeilijker te zeggen of en welke straf hij gaat krijgen. Was hij als ontwikkelaar verantwoordelijk voor de gevolgen van een open-source protocol? De Europese marktwaakhond ESMA maakte zich deze week druk over de verdienmodellen van cryptominers. Met een verzameling aan trucs onder de noemer 'MEV' (Maximum Extractable Value) verdienen miners extra geld aan transacties. Dat gaat mogelijk ten koste van gebruikers en een integere markt, betoogt ESMA. Daarbij springt de 'slipstream'-dienst van de miningpartij Marathon misschien het meest in het oog. Daar kunnen gebruikers buiten de blockchain om wat extra geld aan de miners van Marathon geven, om zo voorgetrokken te worden bij het maken van een transactie. Wat zijn daar, op termijn, de gevolgen van? Gasten Daniël Mol Links Mooi overzicht van de belangrijkste rechtszaken ESMA tikt miners op de vingers Host Herbert Blankesteijn Redactie Daniël MolSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Singh testified that Bankman-Fried pressured him into trying to dig FTX out of a hole he didn't even know about until the very end. Originally published on October 17, 2023.
A defense lawyer and a former prosecutor discuss what SBF's likely sentence will be, the defense's hope for an appeal, and whether the government will pursue the second trial.In this episode of Unchained, Laura does a detailed unpacking of the historic Sam Bankman-Fried trial and verdict with defense lawyer Sam Enzer and former Southern District of New York prosecutor Rich Cooper. They discuss what a thorough job the government did in presenting its case, whether the government will pursue a second trial on campaign finance charges, why it takes so long for sentencing to occur, what the differences between this case and the Bernie Madoff case are, and what Bankman-Fried's likely sentence will be. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.Show highlights | How the cross-examination of SBF showed to the jury that he was unreliable, according to RichWhy the charge conference with the jury is important to the prosecution for “protecting the record”Why the closing argument of the prosecutors was so effective What “conscious avoidance” is and how the prosecutors tried to prove that SBF was guilty of thatWhy SBF's tweet last November that "FTX is fine" was the hardest part of the trial for the defense, according to EnzerWhy Enzer wasn't surprised by how quickly the jury made its decision What SBF's strongest argument is for an appealWhy Enzer "hopes" that there won't be a second trial against SBF and whether he will plead guilty to the additional chargesWhy the sentencing occurs so many months after the verdictHow this case is similar, but also different, from the Bernie Madoff caseHow many years SBF could spend in prison, according to Enzer and CooperWhen cooperating witnesses such as Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, and Gary Wang are likely to get sentencedThank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com | LayerZero | Popcorn NetworkGuests | Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel.Previous appearances on Unchained: Why SBF's Testimony So Far Has Likely Already Doomed HimAnother Bad Week for Sam Bankman-Fried in His Criminal TrialWhy These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to TestifySBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His CaseSBF's Lawyers Could Be Annoying the Judge. How Might That Impact the Trial?Rich Cooper, Former SDNY prosecutorLinks | Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried:How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's DecisionSBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's FamilySBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable'SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One FactSBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special PrivilegesSam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So FarSBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison?SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life'SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness?SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big SpenderSBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's TestimonySBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion HoleSBF Trial, Day 12: Former FTX General Counsel Speaks Out Against SBFSBF Trial, Day 13: Before Judge, Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried Gives Few Straight AnswersSBF Trial, Day 14: Sam Bankman-Fried Casts Blame on Others for Key Decisions at FTXSBF Trial, Day 15: Prosecutors Hammer Bankman-Fried's Contradictions With Reams of EvidenceSBF Trial, Day 16: In Final Cross Examination, SBF Gets Caught Again by His Own WordsSBF Trial, Day 17: Closing Arguments Ask: ‘Villain or Good-Faith Actor?' SBF Trial, Day 18: Sam Bankman-Fried Found Guilty on All 7 Counts in Swift VerdictDid Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors?Katie Haun's thoughts on the sentencingProtos: Sam Bankman-Fried caught deleting more tweets that aged like milkUnchained Podcast is Produced by Laura Shin Media, LLC. Distributed by CoinDesk. Senior Producer is Michele Musso and Executive Producer is Jared Schwartz. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode of Unchained, Laura does a detailed unpacking of the historic Sam Bankman-Fried trial and verdict with defense lawyer Sam Enzer and former Southern District of New York prosecutor Rich Cooper. They discuss what a thorough job the government did in presenting its case, whether the government will pursue a second trial on campaign finance charges, why it takes so long for sentencing to occur, what the differences between this case and the Bernie Madoff case are, and what Bankman-Fried's likely sentence will be. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: how the cross-examination of SBF showed to the jury that he was unreliable, according to Rich why the charge conference with the jury is important to the prosecution for “protecting the record” why the closing argument of the prosecutors was so effective what “conscious avoidance” is and how the prosecutors tried to prove that SBF was guilty of that why SBF's tweet last November that "FTX is fine" was the hardest part of the trial for the defense, according to Enzer why Enzer wasn't surprised by how quickly the jury made its decision what SBF's strongest argument is for an appeal why Enzer "hopes" that there won't be a second trial against SBF and whether he will plead guilty to the additional charges why the sentencing occurs so many months after the verdict how this case is similar, but also different, from the Bernie Madoff case how many years SBF could spend in prison, according to Enzer and Cooper when cooperating witnesses such as Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, and Gary Wang are likely to get sentenced Thank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com LayerZero Popcorn Network Guest: Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel. Previous appearances on Unchained: Why SBF's Testimony So Far Has Likely Already Doomed Him Another Bad Week for Sam Bankman-Fried in His Criminal Trial Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case SBF's Lawyers Could Be Annoying the Judge. How Might That Impact the Trial? Rich Cooper, Former SDNY prosecutor Links Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried: How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's Decision SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So Far SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? Visit www.unchainedcrypto.com for more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Unchained, Laura does a detailed unpacking of the historic Sam Bankman-Fried trial and verdict with defense lawyer Sam Enzer and former Southern District of New York prosecutor Rich Cooper. They discuss what a thorough job the government did in presenting its case, whether the government will pursue a second trial on campaign finance charges, why it takes so long for sentencing to occur, what the differences between this case and the Bernie Madoff case are, and what Bankman-Fried's likely sentence will be. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: how the cross-examination of SBF showed to the jury that he was unreliable, according to Rich why the charge conference with the jury is important to the prosecution for “protecting the record” why the closing argument of the prosecutors was so effective what “conscious avoidance” is and how the prosecutors tried to prove that SBF was guilty of that why SBF's tweet last November that "FTX is fine" was the hardest part of the trial for the defense, according to Enzer why Enzer wasn't surprised by how quickly the jury made its decision what SBF's strongest argument is for an appeal why Enzer "hopes" that there won't be a second trial against SBF and whether he will plead guilty to the additional charges why the sentencing occurs so many months after the verdict how this case is similar, but also different, from the Bernie Madoff case how many years SBF could spend in prison, according to Enzer and Cooper when cooperating witnesses such as Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, and Gary Wang are likely to get sentenced Thank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com LayerZero Popcorn Network Guest: Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel. Previous appearances on Unchained: Why SBF's Testimony So Far Has Likely Already Doomed Him Another Bad Week for Sam Bankman-Fried in His Criminal Trial Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case SBF's Lawyers Could Be Annoying the Judge. How Might That Impact the Trial? Rich Cooper, Former SDNY prosecutor Links Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried: How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's Decision SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So Far SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? Visit www.unchainedcrypto.com for more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: SBF found guilty on all counts, published by Fermi-Dirac Distribution on November 3, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum. Sam Bankman-Fried has been found guilty of all seven charges in his recent trial. The jury deliberated for three and a half hours. Here are the counts, listed by CNN: Count one: Wire fraud on customers of FTX Count two: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud on customers of FTX Count three: Wire fraud on Alameda Research lenders Count four: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud on lenders to Alameda Research Count five: Conspiracy to commit securities fraud on investors in FTX Count six: Conspiracy to commit commodities fraud on customers of FTX Count seven: Conspiracy to commit money laundering There are still a few other charges against him that will be addressed in a March 2024 trial. He (and I think also his convicted co-conspirators Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Ryan Salame and Nishad Singh) will be sentenced next March . Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org
A look at SBF's testimony with his lawyers and how he set to counter the story presented by his former FTX colleagues Nishad Singh, Caroline Ellison, and Gary Wang. Today's Sponsor: Kraken Kraken: See what crypto can be - https://kraken.com/TheBreakdown Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW
This is your SBF on trial podcast, and this is your Sam Bankman-freed Trial Update for Sunday, October 29, 2023Sam Bankman-freed's trial is currently underway in federal court in New York City. He is facing eight counts of fraud and conspiracy, including charges that he misappropriated billions of dollars in customer funds from his cryptocurrency exchange, FTX.The prosecution has rested its case, and the defense began presenting its case on October 27. Bankman-freed himself is expected to testify at some point next week.The defense's case is expected to focus on the following arguments:Bankman-freed was not aware of the full extent of the fraud that was happening at FTX.Bankman-freed did not intend to defraud customers or investors.The collapse of FTX was due to factors beyond Bankman-freed's control, such as the broader cryptocurrency market downturn.If convicted on all charges, Bankman-freed could face up to 20 years in prison.Recent developments in the trial:On October 27, Bankman-freed testified that he was "shocked" when he learned of the full extent of the fraud at FTX. He said that he had been focused on the exchange's trading business and had delegated oversight of customer funds to others.On October 29, Nishad Singh, a former FTX executive, testified that Bankman-freed was aware of the fraud that was happening at the exchange but did nothing to stop it. Singh also testified that Bankman-freed used FTX customer funds to make illegal campaign contributions to US politicians.Outlook for the trialThe trial is expected to last several weeks. It is too early to say what the outcome will be, but the prosecution has presented a strong case so far. The defense's case may be more challenging, but Bankman-freed's own testimony could be key to his fate.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5969335/advertisement
With the jury in attendance, Sam Bankman-Fried took the stand to testify in his defense. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff break down where his story of the FTX collapse has differed from the testimony of his former colleagues Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh. Further Reading: - What's Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial Further Listening: - The Trial of Crypto's Golden Boy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
VLOG Oct 25: SBF wants to impeach Nishad Singh - but will he testify? https://www.patreon.com/posts/91637710 Trump's Habba crosses Cohen, who admits to lying in @SDNYLIVE. On #Gaza, UNSG @AntonioGuterres fails and now tries to stave off resignation calls, while banning Press
Bennett and Cas are joined by Danny Nelson of CoinDesk to discuss the ongoing trial of Sam Bankman-Fried and the testimony of Nishad Singh and Can Sun. CoinDesk coverage of the trial https://www.coindesk.com/sam-bankman-fried-trial-live-coverage-news/ Danny Nelson's newsletter about accounting Santa Clause https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/10/19/judge-kaplans-ire-hits-all-lawyers-in-the-sam-bankman-fried-case/ Danny article about Nishad Singh cross https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/10/19/judge-kaplans-ire-hits-all-lawyers-in-the-sam-bankman-fried-case/ Protos coverage of the trial https://protos.com/sbftrial/ Sam Bankman-Fried on Good Morning America https://youtu.be/0Hxf4Vf54PI Sam Bankman-Fried's defense finally wakes up https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/17/23921745/sam-bankman-fried-nishad-singh-house-loan This video was recorded on October 19th, 2023.
On this day in legal history, October 23, 1987, the United States Senate rejected the nomination of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, Bork, a distinguished legal scholar and a fervent conservative, faced staunch opposition primarily from the Democratic Senate, who were troubled by his originalist interpretations of the Constitution and his past controversial legal stances. His nomination was further tainted by his role in the infamous Watergate scandal, where he, as Solicitor General, obeyed President Richard Nixon's order to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, an act that significantly tarnished his public image.The discourse surrounding Bork's nomination was emblematic of the deep ideological chasms that characterize the judicial nomination process. It brought to the forefront the ideological underpinnings that often steer the acceptance or rejection of Supreme Court nominees, a facet that significantly shapes the judiciary's role in American polity. The term "borking" emerged from this episode, denoting the stringent public vetting and character assassination often associated with high-profile judicial nominations, reflecting the lasting imprint of this event on the American legal and political lexicon.The Senate's rejection of Bork was more than a mere personal defeat; it was a monumental event that underscored the importance of ideological balance within the Supreme Court and the rigorous scrutiny nominees would henceforth face. The heightened public engagement and the Senate's meticulous approach towards Bork's nomination signaled a shift in the dynamics of judicial nominations, establishing a precedent of increased vigilance and scrutiny. This day marked a seminal juncture in the Senate's role in providing 'advice and consent' for judicial nominations, setting a heightened benchmark for scrutiny that continues to resonate in contemporary nomination processes.Robert Bork's failed nomination remains an indelible part of the ongoing dialogue between jurisprudence and political ideology, showcasing the profound impact the judiciary has in shaping the nation's ideological contour. Through this lens, the rejection of Robert Bork's nomination is not only a significant chapter in legal history but also a reflective mirror of the enduring and dynamic interplay between the judiciary, the legislature, and the larger socio-political landscape of the United States.A jury concluded that Google LLC exhibited gender bias towards female executive Ulku Rowe, mandating over $1 million in damages to be paid to her. The decision came after more than five hours of deliberation on a Friday evening. The jury allocated $150,000 for Rowe's pain and suffering due to Google's discriminatory treatment, alongside $1 million in punitive damages. This lawsuit emerged as the inaugural pay discrimination case against Google since the 2018 mass employee walkouts protesting the company's handling of sexual misconduct allegations against top executives.Throughout the week-long trial, Google defended its stance, asserting that Rowe, serving as a director of engineering at Google Cloud, was provided equal opportunities and was assessed using the same performance metrics as her male peers, countering Rowe's opposing claims. The compensation structure at Google, as outlined by Paul Hastings LLP Partner Kenneth Gage, is performance-based, with Rowe's earnings fluctuating in comparison to her fellow directors over different years.Rowe accused Google of gender-based discrimination by hiring her at a lower level, paying her less than male colleagues for comparable work, and denying her a deserved promotion, which allegedly was awarded to a less qualified male. Despite her extensive 23-year experience in the financial services and technology sector, Rowe was hired as a level eight employee, whereas men hired around the same time with supposedly lesser experience were placed at level nine, earning them a higher salary.The jury, however, found that Rowe couldn't establish that she was paid less than at least two of her male counterparts, as required by New York law. Despite this, Rowe's attorney emphasized that Google had undervalued her expertise when she was hired in 2017 as the technical director of financial services at Google Cloud, and further alleged that Google retaliated by demoting her following her complaints about discrimination. The lawsuit, filed under New York equal pay law, aimed to hold Google accountable for perpetuating a lower standard of treatment and remuneration for women in tech, as outlined by Rowe's legal counsel.The verdict, although acknowledging that Rowe's pay and level were fair since her hiring and that no promotions were unjustly withheld, strongly underscores a rejection of gender discrimination and retaliation in the workplace, sending a broader message against such practices.Google Must Pay Female Executive $1 Million for Gender Bias (1)America First Legal (AFL), founded by Stephen Miller, has filed a lawsuit against New York University (NYU) accusing its law school of discriminating against White men during the selection process for its esteemed law review membership. The suit alleges that NYU Law Review is unlawfully favoring women, non-Asian racial minorities, and LGBT individuals in its selection of members and editors. Membership in law reviews, especially at prestigious institutions like NYU, is seen as a significant stepping stone for students aiming for high-profile positions in notable law firms.AFL is perhaps best known for suing the Kellogg's corporation, accusing them of sexualizing pop-tarts, specifically producing gay pop-tarts, that were somehow pushing an agenda on children. This legal action follows a broader move by AFL in June, where letters were sent to NYU and other law schools nationwide, challenging their practices concerning race and gender-based preferences in admissions, hiring, and law review memberships. The scrutiny towards diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has intensified, particularly after a recent Supreme Court decision to limit affirmative action in higher education. Conservative groups are now increasingly contesting DEI initiatives in both educational institutions and the private sector.NYU opted not to comment on the matter, and AFL did not provide an immediate response to requests for comments. Besides targeting educational institutions, AFL has been urging a US civil rights agency to probe into major corporations like Kellogg Co. and Activision Blizzard Inc. regarding their diversity policies post the Supreme Court ruling. The case against NYU is titled Doe v. New York University, filed in a federal court in Manhattan, marking another chapter in the ongoing debates surrounding affirmative action and DEI policies.Stephen Miller's America First Legal Sues NYU Over Law ReviewSam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, is facing fraud charges tied to the bankruptcy of the cryptocurrency exchange. During the trial, his lawyers have voiced concerns over the prosecution's portrayal of Bankman-Fried as a "cartoon of a villain," based on descriptions provided by his former colleagues who testified against him. Despite these concerns, the defense has refrained from challenging some negative anecdotes about Bankman-Fried's interactions with colleagues who disagreed with company decisions.The defense's approach might be strategic, intending to avoid drawing additional attention to unfavorable testimony, as challenging such claims might reinforce the negative image painted by the prosecution. However, experts suggest that the defense's avoidance of these issues may risk leaving a negative impression on the jury, potentially making them more inclined to convict Bankman-Fried.The prosecution has accused Bankman-Fried of misappropriating billions of dollars from FTX customer funds to support his other venture, Alameda Research, make risky investments, and donate over $100 million to U.S. political campaigns to bolster his image. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud and five counts of conspiracy, facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence if convicted.The defense argues that while Bankman-Fried may have "overlooked" risk management in growing FTX and Alameda, there was no intention to steal customers' money. They plan to present a competing narrative to counter the prosecution's portrayal, with some experts suggesting that Bankman-Fried taking the stand himself could help in establishing a more positive impression of his character.Testimony from key prosecution witnesses like Nishad Singh, former Engineering Chief at FTX, and Caroline Ellison, Alameda's former CEO and Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend, detailed instances where Bankman-Fried allegedly disparaged colleagues over financial disagreements. These witnesses' accounts contribute to the prosecution's narrative, contrasting starkly with Bankman-Fried's pre-arrest image as a well-intentioned individual in the cryptocurrency space.The unfolding trial reflects broader issues surrounding corporate governance and ethical conduct within the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency industry. The defense's upcoming narrative will seek to counter the negative portrayal of Bankman-Fried, aiming to provide a different context to the jury regarding his actions and intentions during his tenure at FTX and Alameda.Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers avoid challenges to 'cartoon' villain image | ReutersU.S. Senator Bob Menendez is slated to enter a plea on a new indictment concerning charges of conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent for the Egyptian government. The accusation, filed by federal prosecutors on October 12, alleges that Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, acted on behalf of Egyptian military and intelligence officials from 2018 to 2022. This arraignment follows previous charges against Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, for allegedly accepting significant amounts of cash and gold bars from three businessmen, in return for leveraging his influence to aid the Egyptian government and obstruct law enforcement inquiries into these businessmen.Menendez, dismissing the new charge as an addition to unfounded allegations, is expected to enter his plea at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein. Meanwhile, Nadine Menendez and one of the businessmen, Wael Hana, have already pleaded not guilty to the foreign agent charge on October 18. Amid these legal challenges, Bob Menendez has withstood pressures from fellow Democrats to step down from his senatorial position.US Senator Menendez to be arraigned on foreign agent charge | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest news. This week, the four discuss – and disagree about – Uniswap's new fees, SBF trial week 3, and DCG potentially being taken out by the NY Attorney General. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: What happened recently on the criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, including testimonies from Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh why Robert doesn't like the cartoonist and how Tarun is friends with a stenographer how Nishad Singh confirmed what everyone suspected about the cross-collateral risk engine at FTX why Haseeb believes that the NYAG's lawsuit against DCG, Genesis, and Gemini is "brutal" how DCG resembles the Roman Empire, according to Haseeb what Robert thinks about the introduction of the Uniswap Labs new fees, considering he was in a similar situation with Compound Labs' how can companies that build open-source protocols monetize their efforts whether the implementation of the fees will reduce the total volume for Uniswap Hosts Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at Dragonfly Robert Leshner, founder of Compound Tom Schmidt, general partner at Dragonfly Tarun Chitra, managing partner at Robot Ventures Disclosures Links Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried: How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's Decision SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So Far SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole Uniswap: Unchained: Uniswap Labs to Charge 0.15% Fee on Certain Tokens NYAG lawsuit: Unchained: NY Attorney General Sues Crypto Firms Gemini, Genesis, and DCG for Over $1 Billion Fraud Reddit: Unchained: Reddit to Discontinue Community Points Citing Scalability and Regulatory Issues, Sparking Community Backlash Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest news. This week, the four discuss – and disagree about – Uniswap's new fees, SBF trial week 3, and DCG potentially being taken out by the NY Attorney General. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: What happened recently on the criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, including testimonies from Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh why Robert doesn't like the cartoonist and how Tarun is friends with a stenographer how Nishad Singh confirmed what everyone suspected about the cross-collateral risk engine at FTX why Haseeb believes that the NYAG's lawsuit against DCG, Genesis, and Gemini is "brutal" how DCG resembles the Roman Empire, according to Haseeb what Robert thinks about the introduction of the Uniswap Labs new fees, considering he was in a similar situation with Compound Labs' how can companies that build open-source protocols monetize their efforts whether the implementation of the fees will reduce the total volume for Uniswap Hosts Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at Dragonfly Robert Leshner, founder of Compound Tom Schmidt, general partner at Dragonfly Tarun Chitra, managing partner at Robot Ventures Disclosures Links Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried: How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's Decision SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So Far SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole Uniswap: Unchained: Uniswap Labs to Charge 0.15% Fee on Certain Tokens NYAG lawsuit: Unchained: NY Attorney General Sues Crypto Firms Gemini, Genesis, and DCG for Over $1 Billion Fraud Reddit: Unchained: Reddit to Discontinue Community Points Citing Scalability and Regulatory Issues, Sparking Community Backlash Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Enzer, a partner at the law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, told Laura that compelling evidence from Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle had increased the difficulty for the fallen FTX CEO to convince a jury of his innocence. Former FTX head engineer Nishad Singh said that he became suicidal after understanding the full magnitude of FTX's misuse of customer funds, while ex-chief legal counsel Can Sun helped show how SBF allegedly lied to lawyers. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: Sam (Enzer's) thoughts on how the trial is going for the defense what Nishad Singh's emotional testimony revealed about SBF how Singh felt "betrayed" by Bankman-Fried, who may have been a big brother figure to him why the defense went much harder after Singh in its defense than it did the other members of the inner circle whether the jury felt empathy with Singh about his suicidal feelings what the rationale was behind the order of the witnesses why Sam believes that the accounting professor Peter Easton's testimony was "damning" for the defense whether the testimony of former FTX general counsel proved that SBF lied to his own lawyers why the communications between SBF and his lawyer, which are generally privileged, were divulged in court why Sam believes that it's likely that SBF will testify, although he would advise him not to Thank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com Hedera Popcorn Network Guest Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel. Previous appearances on Unchained: Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case SBF's Lawyers Could Be Annoying the Judge. How Might That Impact the Trial? Links Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried: How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's Decision SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So Far SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Good Morning America: FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried on crypto giant's collapse: 'A lot of people got hurt. And that's on me' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the 12th day of the SBF Trial, former FTX General Counsel Can Sun testified about a $7 billion deficit in customer funds. Sun, who was responsible for crafting FTX's terms of service, expressed shock at the deficit and revealed that Sam Bankman-Fried had asked him for legal justifications. Sun also mentioned that Nishad Singh, a key witness and former head of engineering at FTX, looked emotionally drained days before the company's collapse. Sun's testimony took a dramatic turn during a meeting with Bankman-Fried and others, where it was confirmed that FTX lacked sufficient funds to cover customer withdrawals. This meeting solidified Sun's suspicions that Alameda Research had misappropriated FTX customer deposits. The day concluded with Robert Boroujerdi of Third Point stating that Bankman-Fried had omitted significant details that would have altered the firm's decision to invest $60 million in the now failed crypto exchange. That investment is now worth zero. The trial will resume in a week, adding more suspense to this unfolding legal drama. Catch up on Unchained's previous coverage: SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify Here's How Sam Bankman-Fried's High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam Bankman-Fried is facing an even more difficult task in proving his innocence after this week's compelling testimony by the last member of his inner circle. Sam Enzer, a partner at the law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, told Laura that compelling evidence from Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle had increased the difficulty for the fallen FTX CEO to convince a jury of his innocence. Former FTX head engineer Nishad Singh said that he became suicidal after understanding the full magnitude of FTX's misuse of customer funds, while ex-chief legal counsel Can Sun helped show how SBF allegedly lied to lawyers. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.Show highlights | Sam (Enzer's) thoughts on how the trial is going for the defense what Nishad Singh's emotional testimony revealed about SBFhow Singh felt "betrayed" by Bankman-Fried, who may have been a big brother figure to himwhy the defense went much harder after Singh in its defense than it did the other members of the inner circlewhether the jury felt empathy with Singh about his suicidal feelings what the rationale was behind the order of the witnesseswhy Sam believes that the accounting professor Peter Easton's testimony was "damning" for the defense whether the testimony of former FTX general counsel proved that SBF lied to his own lawyerswhy the communications between SBF and his lawyer, which are generally privileged, were divulged in courtwhy Sam believes that it's likely that SBF will testify, although he would advise him not toThank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com | Hedera | Popcorn NetworkGuest | Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel.Previous appearances on Unchained: Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to TestifySBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His CaseSBF's Lawyers Could Be Annoying the Judge. How Might That Impact the Trial?Links | Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried:How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's DecisionSBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's FamilySBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable'SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One FactSBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special PrivilegesSam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So FarSBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison?SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life'SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness?SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big SpenderSBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's TestimonySBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion HoleDid Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors?Good Morning America: FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried on crypto giant's collapse: 'A lot of people got hurt. And that's on me'Unchained Podcast is Produced by Laura Shin Media, LLC. Distributed by CoinDesk. Senior Producer is Michele Musso and Executive Producer is Jared Schwartz. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In today's episode of Empire the Jason and Santi are back, diving into In this week's Empire Roundup, Jason and Santi welcome Blockworks' Senior Reporter, Casey Wagner, for an in-depth look into the unfolding Sam Bankman-Fried trial in the Southern District of New York. Casey shares firsthand observations, including compelling witness accounts from Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh that implicate SBF. The trio delve into the prosecution's tactics, jury sentiment, and anticipates the defense's forthcoming arguments. Additionally, the episode explores the ripple effects of these developments on GBTC's prospects for Bitcoin ETF conversion, the future viability of Genesis and DCG amid NYAG lawsuit allegations, and the recent controversy surrounding Uniswap's fee structure changes. - - MetaMask Portfolio is your one-stop shop for all things web3. Instead of connecting to multiple exchanges, dapps, and tools, you just need to connect to one simple dapp to track and manage all your assets across different networks and accounts. MetaMask Portfolio provides a secure and convenient way to perform common tasks such as Buy, Sell, Swap, Bridge, and Stake. Try MetaMask Portfolio at https://blckwrks.co/MetaMaskEmpire - - Chronicle Protocol is a novel Oracle solution that has exclusively secured over $10B in assets for MakerDAO and its ecosystem since 2017. With a history of innovation, including the invention of the first Oracle on Ethereum, Chronicle Protocol continues to redefine Oracles. A blockchain-agnostic protocol, Chronicle overcomes the current limitations of transferring data on-chain by developing the first truly scalable, cost-efficient, decentralized, and verifiable Oracles, rewriting the rulebook on data transparency and accessibility. Learn more about Chronicle Protocol: https://chroniclelabs.org/ Join the Chronicle Labs team: https://chroniclelabs.org/careers#open_roles - - Follow Santi: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7 Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- Timestamps: (00:00) SBF Trial Updates (23:20) Timeline for SBF Sentencing (29:24) Chronicle Ad (30:40) Metamask Ad (31:26) Gemini, Genesis, DCG Sued by New York AG (50:00) Ramifications of Explosions in Crypto (55:34) Uniswap Fee Switch (01:04:33) Pudgy Penguins LIVE Unboxing — Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
This is the FTX on trial podcast, and this is your Trial update for 10-20-2023.Sam Bankman-freed's trial for fraud and money laundering charges began on October 3, 2023, in federal court in Manhattan. Bankman-freed is accused of defrauding investors and customers of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which collapsed in November 2022, costing customers billions of dollars.Caroline Ellison, Bankman-freed's ex-girlfriend and former CEO of Alameda Research, revealed new details about Bankman-freed's alleged fraudulent activities. She testified that Bankman-freed directed her to commit fraud, such as using FTX customer funds to prop up Alameda Research. She also said that Bankman-freed believed he didn't need to follow moral codes because he was working for the "greater good."Ellison's testimony is particularly damaging to Bankman-freed because she is a cooperating witness. This means that she has made a plea deal with the prosecution in exchange for her testimony. This suggests that the prosecution has a strong case against Bankman-freed.On Wednesday, October 18, Ellison testified that Bankman-freed talked her out of resigning from her post at Alameda Research just months before FTX fell apart. She told jurors that Bankman-freed told her she was "too important" to leave.Also on Wednesday, Nishad Singh, a former FTX executive, also testified this week. Singh testified about Bankman-freed's "excess" spending. He said that Bankman-freed used FTX customer funds to purchase luxury homes and private jets for himself and his employees. Singh's testimony is significant because it supports the prosecution's allegations that Bankman-freed misused FTX customer funds. It also suggests that Bankman-freed was living a lavish lifestyle while FTX customers were losing their money.Bankman-freed's attorneys have argued that he is not guilty of any crimes and that he is being targeted by prosecutors because he is a successful entrepreneur. They have also accused the prosecution of relying on the testimony of unreliable witnesses, such as Ellison and Singh.The prosecution has argued that Bankman-freed knowingly defrauded investors and customers and that he used FTX customer funds to prop up his own hedge fund, Alameda Research. They have also presented evidence that Bankman-freed lied to investors about the financial health of FTX.The trial is expected to last several weeks. If convicted, Bankman-freed could face up to 20 years in prison.In addition to the criminal trial, Bankman-freed is also facing civil lawsuits from investors and customers of FTX. The lawsuits allege that Bankman-freed and other FTX executives violated securities laws and committed fraud.The Sam Bankman-freed trial is one of the most closely watched cases in the cryptocurrency industry. The outcome of the trial could have a significant impact on the future of regulation in the cryptocurrency space.
This is the SBF on trial podcast, and this is your Trial update for 10-20-2023.Sam Bankman-freed's trial for fraud and money laundering charges began on October 3, 2023, in federal court in Manhattan. Bankman-freed is accused of defrauding investors and customers of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which collapsed in November 2022, costing customers billions of dollars.Caroline Ellison, Bankman-freed's ex-girlfriend and former CEO of Alameda Research, revealed new details about Bankman-freed's alleged fraudulent activities. She testified that Bankman-freed directed her to commit fraud, such as using FTX customer funds to prop up Alameda Research. She also said that Bankman-freed believed he didn't need to follow moral codes because he was working for the "greater good."Ellison's testimony is particularly damaging to Bankman-freed because she is a cooperating witness. This means that she has made a plea deal with the prosecution in exchange for her testimony. This suggests that the prosecution has a strong case against Bankman-freed.On Wednesday, October 18, Ellison testified that Bankman-freed talked her out of resigning from her post at Alameda Research just months before FTX fell apart. She told jurors that Bankman-freed told her she was "too important" to leave.Also on Wednesday, Nishad Singh, a former FTX executive, also testified this week. Singh testified about Bankman-freed's "excess" spending. He said that Bankman-freed used FTX customer funds to purchase luxury homes and private jets for himself and his employees. Singh's testimony is significant because it supports the prosecution's allegations that Bankman-freed misused FTX customer funds. It also suggests that Bankman-freed was living a lavish lifestyle while FTX customers were losing their money.Bankman-freed's attorneys have argued that he is not guilty of any crimes and that he is being targeted by prosecutors because he is a successful entrepreneur. They have also accused the prosecution of relying on the testimony of unreliable witnesses, such as Ellison and Singh.The prosecution has argued that Bankman-freed knowingly defrauded investors and customers and that he used FTX customer funds to prop up his own hedge fund, Alameda Research. They have also presented evidence that Bankman-freed lied to investors about the financial health of FTX.The trial is expected to last several weeks. If convicted, Bankman-freed could face up to 20 years in prison.In addition to the criminal trial, Bankman-freed is also facing civil lawsuits from investors and customers of FTX. The lawsuits allege that Bankman-freed and other FTX executives violated securities laws and committed fraud.The Sam Bankman-freed trial is one of the most closely watched cases in the cryptocurrency industry. The outcome of the trial could have a significant impact on the future of regulation in the cryptocurrency space.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5969335/advertisement
This is the Sam Bankman Freed podcast, and this is your Trial update for 10-20-2023.Sam Bankman-freed's trial for fraud and money laundering charges began on October 3, 2023, in federal court in Manhattan. Bankman-freed is accused of defrauding investors and customers of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which collapsed in November 2022, costing customers billions of dollars.Caroline Ellison, Bankman-freed's ex-girlfriend and former CEO of Alameda Research, revealed new details about Bankman-freed's alleged fraudulent activities. She testified that Bankman-freed directed her to commit fraud, such as using FTX customer funds to prop up Alameda Research. She also said that Bankman-freed believed he didn't need to follow moral codes because he was working for the "greater good."Ellison's testimony is particularly damaging to Bankman-freed because she is a cooperating witness. This means that she has made a plea deal with the prosecution in exchange for her testimony. This suggests that the prosecution has a strong case against Bankman-freed.On Wednesday, October 18, Ellison testified that Bankman-freed talked her out of resigning from her post at Alameda Research just months before FTX fell apart. She told jurors that Bankman-freed told her she was "too important" to leave.Also on Wednesday, Nishad Singh, a former FTX executive, also testified this week. Singh testified about Bankman-freed's "excess" spending. He said that Bankman-freed used FTX customer funds to purchase luxury homes and private jets for himself and his employees. Singh's testimony is significant because it supports the prosecution's allegations that Bankman-freed misused FTX customer funds. It also suggests that Bankman-freed was living a lavish lifestyle while FTX customers were losing their money.Bankman-freed's attorneys have argued that he is not guilty of any crimes and that he is being targeted by prosecutors because he is a successful entrepreneur. They have also accused the prosecution of relying on the testimony of unreliable witnesses, such as Ellison and Singh.The prosecution has argued that Bankman-freed knowingly defrauded investors and customers and that he used FTX customer funds to prop up his own hedge fund, Alameda Research. They have also presented evidence that Bankman-freed lied to investors about the financial health of FTX.The trial is expected to last several weeks. If convicted, Bankman-freed could face up to 20 years in prison.In addition to the criminal trial, Bankman-freed is also facing civil lawsuits from investors and customers of FTX. The lawsuits allege that Bankman-freed and other FTX executives violated securities laws and committed fraud.The Sam Bankman-freed trial is one of the most closely watched cases in the cryptocurrency industry. The outcome of the trial could have a significant impact on the future of regulation in the cryptocurrency space.
Sam Enzer, a partner at the law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, told Laura that compelling evidence from Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle had increased the difficulty for the fallen FTX CEO to convince a jury of his innocence. Former FTX head engineer Nishad Singh said that he became suicidal after understanding the full magnitude of FTX's misuse of customer funds, while ex-chief legal counsel Can Sun helped show how SBF allegedly lied to lawyers. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Show highlights: Sam (Enzer's) thoughts on how the trial is going for the defense what Nishad Singh's emotional testimony revealed about SBF how Singh felt "betrayed" by Bankman-Fried, who may have been a big brother figure to him why the defense went much harder after Singh in its defense than it did the other members of the inner circle whether the jury felt empathy with Singh about his suicidal feelings what the rationale was behind the order of the witnesses why Sam believes that the accounting professor Peter Easton's testimony was "damning" for the defense whether the testimony of former FTX general counsel proved that SBF lied to his own lawyers why the communications between SBF and his lawyer, which are generally privileged, were divulged in court why Sam believes that it's likely that SBF will testify, although he would advise him not to Thank you to our sponsors! Crypto.com Hedera Popcorn Network Guest Sam Enzer, partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel. Previous appearances on Unchained: Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case SBF's Lawyers Could Be Annoying the Judge. How Might That Impact the Trial? Links Previous coverage by Unchained on the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried: How Heated Sidebars During the SBF Trial Could Impact the Jury's Decision SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: Here's Everything That Happened So Far SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Good Morning America: FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried on crypto giant's collapse: 'A lot of people got hurt. And that's on me' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the 12th day of the SBF Trial, former FTX General Counsel Can Sun testified about a $7 billion deficit in customer funds. Sun, who was responsible for crafting FTX's terms of service, expressed shock at the deficit and revealed that Sam Bankman-Fried had asked him for legal justifications. Sun also mentioned that Nishad Singh, a key witness and former head of engineering at FTX, looked emotionally drained days before the company's collapse. Sun's testimony took a dramatic turn during a meeting with Bankman-Fried and others, where it was confirmed that FTX lacked sufficient funds to cover customer withdrawals. This meeting solidified Sun's suspicions that Alameda Research had misappropriated FTX customer deposits. The day concluded with Robert Boroujerdi of Third Point stating that Bankman-Fried had omitted significant details that would have altered the firm's decision to invest $60 million in the now failed crypto exchange. That investment is now worth zero. The trial will resume in a week, adding more suspense to this unfolding legal drama. Catch up on Unchained's previous coverage: SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender SBF Trial, Day 10: Defense Struggles to Discredit Nishad Singh's Testimony SBF Trial, Day 11: How Alameda Got FTX Into a $9 Billion Hole Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify Here's How Sam Bankman-Fried's High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
De SBF-rechtszaak was ook deze week het belangrijkste cryptonieuws, zeker in de VS. Deze week was het de beurt aan Nishad Singh, in betere tijden directeur techniek bij FTX. Hij ging in op het bijzondere uitgavepatroon van Sam Bankman-Fried. En er is nieuws over de Amerikaanse bitcoin-ETF Deze week in de Cryptocast Een gesprek met het Nederlands-Amerikaanse Glo Dollar. Jasper Driessens is mede-oprichter van de stablecoin die de concurrentie aan wil gaan met USDT en USDC. Geen makkelijke taak, maar Glo heeft een belangrijk USP: winsten gaan naar het bestrijden van het goede doel. Singh getuigt SBF heeft medicijnen nodig Verwachtingen rond ETF hooggespannen Met Herbert Blankesteijn bespreken we elke week de toestand van de crypto. Luister live donderdagochtend rond 9:20 in De Ochtendspits, of wanneer je wilt via bnr.nl/podcast/cryptocastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
De SBF-rechtszaak was ook deze week het belangrijkste cryptonieuws, zeker in de VS. Deze week was het de beurt aan Nishad Singh, in betere tijden directeur techniek bij FTX. Hij ging in op het bijzondere uitgavepatroon van Sam Bankman-Fried. En er is nieuws over de Amerikaanse bitcoin-ETF Deze week in de Cryptocast Een gesprek met het Nederlands-Amerikaanse Glo Dollar. Jasper Driessens is mede-oprichter van de stablecoin die de concurrentie aan wil gaan met USDT en USDC. Geen makkelijke taak, maar Glo heeft een belangrijk USP: winsten gaan naar het bestrijden van het goede doel. Singh getuigt SBF heeft medicijnen nodig Verwachtingen rond ETF hooggespannen Met Herbert Blankesteijn bespreken we elke week de toestand van de crypto. Luister live donderdagochtend rond 9:20 in De Ochtendspits, of wanneer je wilt via bnr.nl/podcast/cryptocastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On day 10 of the Sam Bankman-Fried trial, SBF's defense team tried to discredit Nishad Singh, a key witness for the prosecution. Despite their efforts, Singh's testimony about FTX's financial mismanagement and Bankman-Fried's questionable ethics remained largely unchallenged. The defense's line of questioning focused on Singh's memory and inconsistencies in his statements, but prosecutors were quick to counter these points in their redirect. FBI Agent Richard Busick presented an analysis of Bankman-Fried's phone locations, revealing his connections to influential political figures like former U.S. President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Can this information impact the jury's perception of Bankman-Fried as the trial continues to unfold? Catch up on Unchained's previous coverage: SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify Here's How Sam Bankman-Fried's High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Overpriced JPEGs - Courthouse Edition! I was in court all day at SBF's trial where former FTX + Alameda exec, Nishad Singh, was cross examined by the defense. Let's talk about what the defense did well and, as has been the case typically, what they didn't do well... #sambankmanfried #sambankmanfriednews #sbf #crypto #cryptocurrency #carolineellison #nishadsingh OPJ Gin Bottle Redemption: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/gin OPJ NFT Link: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/buy-opj-nft OPENSEA | STUDIO Check out the latest drops in OpenSea: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/OpenSea WEB3SENSE | DEMO Find out more + get a demo today: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/web3sense
On this day in legal history in 1929, the Privy Council of the United Kingdom declared women officially “persons” under the laws of Canada. Which is good, that's a good thing to do, generally. People should be persons. On October 18, 1929, a landmark decision by the Privy Council of the United Kingdom fundamentally altered the legal status of women in Canada. On this day, the Privy Council overturned a ruling made by the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Edwards v. Canada. The case was initiated by Emily Murphy, the first female magistrate in the British Empire, and four other women—Henrietta Muir Edwards, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, and Nellie McClung—who collectively came to be known as the Famous Five. A lawyer had challenged Murphy's right to preside over a court on the grounds that she wasn't a "person" under Canadian law, leading the Famous Five to challenge this narrow interpretation of the term "persons" as outlined in the British North America Acts, the governing laws of Canada at the time.The Supreme Court of Canada initially ruled against the Famous Five, upholding the traditional interpretation that excluded women from the definition of "persons." This decision mirrored societal prejudices that marginalized women, relegating them to domestic roles and barring them from public life. However, the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, which served as Canada's final court of appeal at the time, reversed this ruling. They declared that the exclusion of women from public offices was a "relic of days more barbarous than ours," offering a more progressive and inclusive interpretation.Lord Sankey, who delivered the Privy Council's judgment, questioned why the term "persons" should not include women, framing it as a matter of logical and moral imperative. This decision dramatically expanded the range of professional and public opportunities available to women in Canada and had ripple effects across the globe, inspiring movements for gender equality.Today, October 18 is celebrated as Persons Day in Canada, marking the victory of the Famous Five and commemorating the broader fight for gender equality. The decision serves as an enduring reminder for legal scholars, activists, and students about the power of the legal system to redefine societal norms and advance human rights.The issue of the state-and-local tax (SALT) deduction cap, instituted by the GOP in 2017, is becoming a contentious point in the upcoming elections, particularly for blue-state Republicans. The cap limited the SALT deduction to $10,000 and was initially opposed by several House Republicans from high-tax states. Although many of those opposing Republicans are no longer in office, a new batch of lawmakers from blue states is fighting to restore the full SALT deduction, albeit without success so far. This situation is giving Democrats an advantage, as candidates vow to make the removal of the SALT cap a priority if elected.Democrats' message that Republicans are responsible for a tax hike has resonated in previous elections and appears to be effective again. Republican representatives such as Mike Garcia of California have admitted that winning would be easier if their party agreed to lift the cap. The upcoming elections are critical for future tax policy discussions, as many elements of the 2017 tax law, including the SALT cap, are set to expire in 2025.By way of brief background, the SALT cap deduction refers to the limitation placed on the amount of state and local taxes (SALT) that can be deducted from a filer's federal income tax. Implemented as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the cap is currently set at $10,000 for both single filers and married couples filing jointly. The SALT cap has been a point of debate, as it disproportionately affects taxpayers in states with higher income and property taxes–those states where more folks are likely to be exceeding $10,000 in property tax.Democrats have successfully used the SALT issue to gain an edge in previous elections, unseating Republicans who opposed the 2017 tax law due to the cap. Some candidates have characterized the 2017 law as a "weaponization of the tax code" against Democratic states. However, it's worth noting that not all Democrats are united in removing the cap. Progressive Democrats argue that the SALT deduction disproportionately benefits the wealthy and have resisted attempts to eliminate it from the Build Back Better legislation.Even as some Republican candidates try to align their party's stance with raising or eliminating the SALT cap, they face internal resistance. The issue has even stalled GOP efforts to pass tax bills, as some refuse to vote for any package that doesn't address the SALT cap. As it stands, the SALT cap issue remains a potent weapon for Democrats, particularly in high-tax states, and could significantly influence the electoral outcomes in the 2024 elections.SALT Cap Haunts GOP House Candidates as Democrats Turn TablesThe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has notably excluded environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing from its focus areas for 2024, a shift from previous years when it was listed as a priority. The agency's Division of Examinations priorities for the year did not make any direct mention of ESG, even though the topic was a key area of scrutiny in reports for 2021, 2022, and 2023. An SEC spokesperson clarified that the published priorities for 2024 are "not exhaustive" and other issues could still be addressed.This change comes as the SEC seems to be distancing itself from the ESG label in the context of corporate disclosures. An agency official mentioned that the commission is focusing more on "emergent risks" rather than using the ESG terminology. The label itself has come under scrutiny and has been politicized, leading companies like BlackRock and McDonald's to drop or downplay the term.For 2024, the SEC has shifted its focus to anti-money laundering controls, cryptocurrency, and cybersecurity. Despite this shift, it's worth noting that the SEC's Climate and ESG Task Force has been active in enforcement, settling cases with Goldman Sachs, Bank of New York Mellon, and Deutsche Bank over allegations of improper ESG investment claims and procedural failures. The SEC's deprioritizing of ESG in its 2024 exam priorities does not necessarily signal an abandonment of oversight in this area but indicates a shift in the regulatory landscape.SEC Drops ESG From List of Compliance Priorities in 2024Google has requested a California federal court to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that the tech giant's data scraping activities for training its AI systems violate people's privacy and property rights. The company argues that using public data is essential for training AI technologies like its chatbot Bard. Google contends that the lawsuit could significantly harm not just its services but also the development of generative AI as a whole. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco by eight unnamed individuals, accuses Google of improperly using content from social media and other Google platforms for AI training.The suit is part of a broader trend of legal complaints against tech companies for allegedly misusing various types of content, such as books, visual art, and personal data, for AI training without permission. Google's general counsel, Halimah DeLaine Prado, dismissed the lawsuit as "baseless," stating that U.S. law permits the use of public information to create new beneficial uses. She also refuted allegations that the company uses non-public information from services like Gmail for AI training without consent.The lawsuit covers a wide array of content, from photos on dating websites to Spotify playlists and TikTok videos. One plaintiff, described as a best-selling author and investigative journalist, claimed Google copied her book to train its chatbot. Google responded that such use falls under the fair use doctrine of copyright law and criticized the lawsuit for lacking specific details on how the plaintiffs were harmed.Google says data-scraping lawsuit would take 'sledgehammer' to generative AI | ReutersIn the ongoing fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, defense lawyers are challenging the portrayal of the company's investments as "reckless and frivolous." This comes after testimony from Nishad Singh, FTX's former engineering chief, who described the company's spending on marketing and celebrity endorsements as excessive. Singh, who has pleaded guilty to fraud and is cooperating with prosecutors, testified that he thought FTX could survive despite a $13 billion shortfall in customer funds, a point that could support Bankman-Fried's defense.Bankman-Fried is in his third trial week, facing charges related to allegedly looting billions from FTX customer funds for various investments and political donations. He has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Mark Cohen, pressed Singh on the business benefits of marketing expenditures, potentially framing them as good-faith business decisions rather than fraud.Singh also testified about a deal FTX had with investment firm K5, which he had previously described as "toxic" for the company's culture. Cohen pointed out that K5 helped with more than just celebrity endorsements; it also assisted in investing in a tequila brand run by a celebrity. A lawsuit against K5 alleges that a Bankman-Fried-controlled company used $214 million in FTX funds to buy a stake in celebrity Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila brand, valued at just $2.94 million at the time.Bankman-Fried's defense maintains that while he made mistakes in running FTX, he never intended to defraud anyone. Jurors have also heard from other former executives who have pleaded guilty to fraud and are cooperating with the prosecution. One significant point came when Singh acknowledged buying a $3.7 million home using FTX customer funds, stating he was "ashamed" and had agreed to forfeit the property as part of his plea agreement.Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer says FTX investments were not 'reckless' | ReutersA California state judge has ruled that the $90 million legal dispute between Elon Musk and law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz should go to arbitration rather than be settled in court. Judge Richard Ulmer agreed with Wachtell's argument that both parties had "clearly and unmistakably" agreed to let an arbitrator decide on the claims subject to arbitration. Elon Musk, who renamed Twitter to X after acquiring it, had filed a lawsuit against Wachtell to recover $90 million in fees, accusing the law firm of receiving an "improper bonus payment" that violated its fiduciary and ethical duties.The judge's decision to compel arbitration was made without objection from either party, and the merits of Musk's claims were not addressed in this ruling. Wachtell, which represented Twitter in the acquisition deal, has denied Musk's allegations. A spokesperson for Wachtell declined to comment on the ruling, and attorneys for Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.In the lawsuit, Musk claimed that Twitter executives "ran up the tab" by designating large amounts of money as "success" or "project" fees for law firms involved in the deal. Musk argued that Wachtell unfairly profited from the transaction. In response, Wachtell stated that Twitter's board had approved their fee, arguing that they had facilitated a deal ensuring "billions in value for Twitter's stockholders." The case is known as X Corp v Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in the San Francisco Superior Court.Elon Musk's Twitter fee fight with law firm Wachtell belongs in arbitration, judge says | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Overpriced JPEGs - Courthouse Edition! I was in court all day at SBF's trial where former FTX + Alameda exec, Nishad Singh, was cross examined by the defense. Let's talk about what the defense did well and, as has been the case typically, what they didn't do well... #sambankmanfried #sambankmanfriednews #sbf #crypto #cryptocurrency #carolineellison #nishadsingh OPJ Gin Bottle Redemption: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/gin OPJ NFT Link: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/buy-opj-nft OPENSEA | STUDIO Check out the latest drops in OpenSea: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/OpenSea WEB3SENSE | DEMO Find out more + get a demo today: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/web3sense
On day 10 of the Sam Bankman-Fried trial, SBF's defense team tried to discredit Nishad Singh, a key witness for the prosecution. Despite their efforts, Singh's testimony about FTX's financial mismanagement and Bankman-Fried's questionable ethics remained largely unchallenged. The defense's line of questioning focused on Singh's memory and inconsistencies in his statements, but prosecutors were quick to counter these points in their redirect. FBI Agent Richard Busick presented an analysis of Bankman-Fried's phone locations, revealing his connections to influential political figures like former U.S. President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Can this information impact the jury's perception of Bankman-Fried as the trial continues to unfold? Catch up on Unchained's previous coverage: SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges SBF Trial, Day 9: Nishad Singh Describes Former FTX CEO as a Bully and Big Spender Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify Here's How Sam Bankman-Fried's High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Against the Rules with Michael Lewis: The Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried
It was supposed to be a quiet Monday in court, but it turned out to be everything but. Nishad Singh, a former top executive at FTX, and a close personal friend of the Bankman-Fried family took the stand. Lidia Jean calls Michael Lewis from court during her lunch break to get his take on Singh, and updates us with the latest as the SBF trial enters its third week. This conversation was recorded on the evening of October 16. Questions for Michael? Submit them by clicking the link in our show notes or visiting atrpodcast.com To access bonus episodes, and to listen to all of our coverage ad-free, sign up for Pushkin plus on the Against The Rules show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm/plus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nishad Singh— another critical member of Sam Bankman Fried's inner circle— testified Monday saying FTX customer money was used to fund political donations and that he pushed back on Bankman-Fried's spending on celebrities. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff unpack his testimony and discuss a medical issue Bankman-Fried raised to the judge. Further Reading: - What's Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial Further Listening: - The Trial of Crypto's Golden Boy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The third week of the criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried began Monday. Nishad Singh, one of three key witnesses for the prosecution, testified about the alleged misuse of customer funds and a toxic work environment at FTX, created by Sam Bankman-Fried. Singh's account echoed earlier testimony by former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX CTO Gary Wang and raised questions anew about the company's venture investments, excessive spending on sponsorships, and attempts to deceive regulators. Singh also described his growing concerns about Bankman-Fried's lavish spending, even as the company faced mounting financial difficulties. Catch up on Unchained's previous coverage: SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify Here's How Sam Bankman-Fried's High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at FTX, testified that a September 2022 meeting with Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, revealed the extent of Alameda's use of FTX user deposits, leaving a substantial hole in the balance sheets of both companies and prompting Singh's feeling of betrayal. Singh's testimony provided strong evidence to prosecutors that Bankman-Fried played a pivotal role in FTX's alleged crimes, emphasizing Singh's role as both a co-conspirator and a victim in the unfolding saga.Link to story: Former Top FTX Executive Testifies He Knew $8B of Customer Money Was MissingSign up for The SBF Trial NewsletterCredits: Marc Hochstein, Nikhilesh De, Sam Kessler and Wondercraft AI VoiceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Overpriced JPEGs - Courthouse Edition! I was in court all day at SBF's trial and heard former FTX + Alameda exec, Nishad Singh, talk about the time SBF wanted to lie to the CFTC... and also describe the moment he found out Alameda was using FTX customer money to fund their lavish spending. sambankmanfried #sambankmanfriednews #sbf #crypto #cryptocurrency #carolineellison #nishadsingh OPJ Gin Bottle Redemption: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/gin OPJ NFT Link: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/buy-opj-nft OPENSEA | STUDIO Check out the latest drops in OpenSea: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/OpenSea WEB3SENSE | DEMO Find out more + get a demo today: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/web3sense
Natasha and Deana deliver 10ish minutes of notable moments from the testimony of former FTX executive Nishad Singh in the SBF trial on October 16. Subscribe to the Boys Club newsletter here! Boys Club is proudly supported by Kraken. Kraken is a crypto exchange for everyone.
VLOG Oct 17: In SBF trial Nishad Singh sings of politicians taking the FTX customers' money, Inner City Press is on the case https://innercitypress.com/literarysbf8singhsingspolkurticp101623.html & here https://matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/crypto-creeps-in-bankman-fried-trial UN fails on #Gaza now @AntonioGuterres goes to China with Putin, Belt and Roadkill
This is the FTX on trial podcast, and this is your Trial update for 10-17-2023.In the unfolding courtroom drama surrounding Sam Bankman-freed, the past 24 hours have seen a flurry of significant developments. The defense strategies put forth by Bankman-freed's legal team continue to baffle onlookers, yet the specifics remain cloaked in mystery. Meanwhile, the political donation saga takes a darker turn. Despite a staggering $13 billion deficit in his Alameda Research hedge fund, Bankman-freed allegedly funneled funds into political coffers.Witness testimonies are shedding light on the murky financial waters of Bankman-freed's empire. Nishad Singh, a former colleague and political donor, became the third ex-colleague to testify against Bankman-freed. A former senior executive at FTX, Singh, now a cooperating witness, has pleaded guilty in a related case. His testimony, as the trial steams into its third week, revealed his awareness of about $8 billion in misappropriated funds. This revelation, along with other testimonies, is painting a picture of shock and betrayal, with another former FTX executive expressing horror upon uncovering undisclosed actions by Bankman-freed.The drama extends beyond the courtroom; the trial, which kicked off on October 3, has spotlighted allegations of Bankman-freed allowing a plunder of FTX customer funds. As the case unfolds, jurors have been privy to insights from key individuals, including Gary Wang, former technology chief at FTX, and Caroline Ellison, one-time CEO of Alameda and Bankman-freed's former girlfriend. The cross-examination of Singh is on the horizon, with expectations that the prosecution may rest its case by October 26, paving the way for Bankman-freed's defense.In a side note, amidst the legal storm, Bankman-freed's request for a higher dose of Adderall, to aid his ADHD and active participation in his defense, was denied by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, adding another layer to this complex trial.As the trial progresses, the alleged political donation saga involving a "straw donor" scheme and misappropriation of funds continues to entangle Bankman-freed in a web of accusations. The testimonies hint at a lifestyle of excess, with $1.1 billion in FTX endorsement deals, including naming rights to the Miami Heat's basketball arena and associations with high-profile celebrities. The narrative of fiscal recklessness is furthered by snapshots of Bankman-freed rubbing shoulders with the likes of Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom at the 2022 NFL Super Bowl.These unfolding developments echo through the halls of justice, casting long shadows as the financial and political ramifications continue to reverberate. The trial of Sam Bankman-freed is fast becoming a touchstone of legal and financial intrigue, with more revelations expected as the courtroom saga continues.
This is the SBF on trial podcast, and this is your Trial update for 10-17-2023.In the unfolding courtroom drama surrounding Sam Bankman-freed, the past 24 hours have seen a flurry of significant developments. The defense strategies put forth by Bankman-freed's legal team continue to baffle onlookers, yet the specifics remain cloaked in mystery. Meanwhile, the political donation saga takes a darker turn. Despite a staggering $13 billion deficit in his Alameda Research hedge fund, Bankman-freed allegedly funneled funds into political coffers.Witness testimonies are shedding light on the murky financial waters of Bankman-freed's empire. Nishad Singh, a former colleague and political donor, became the third ex-colleague to testify against Bankman-freed. A former senior executive at FTX, Singh, now a cooperating witness, has pleaded guilty in a related case. His testimony, as the trial steams into its third week, revealed his awareness of about $8 billion in misappropriated funds. This revelation, along with other testimonies, is painting a picture of shock and betrayal, with another former FTX executive expressing horror upon uncovering undisclosed actions by Bankman-freed.The drama extends beyond the courtroom; the trial, which kicked off on October 3, has spotlighted allegations of Bankman-freed allowing a plunder of FTX customer funds. As the case unfolds, jurors have been privy to insights from key individuals, including Gary Wang, former technology chief at FTX, and Caroline Ellison, one-time CEO of Alameda and Bankman-freed's former girlfriend. The cross-examination of Singh is on the horizon, with expectations that the prosecution may rest its case by October 26, paving the way for Bankman-freed's defense.In a side note, amidst the legal storm, Bankman-freed's request for a higher dose of Adderall, to aid his ADHD and active participation in his defense, was denied by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, adding another layer to this complex trial.As the trial progresses, the alleged political donation saga involving a "straw donor" scheme and misappropriation of funds continues to entangle Bankman-freed in a web of accusations. The testimonies hint at a lifestyle of excess, with $1.1 billion in FTX endorsement deals, including naming rights to the Miami Heat's basketball arena and associations with high-profile celebrities. The narrative of fiscal recklessness is furthered by snapshots of Bankman-freed rubbing shoulders with the likes of Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom at the 2022 NFL Super Bowl.These unfolding developments echo through the halls of justice, casting long shadows as the financial and political ramifications continue to reverberate. The trial of Sam Bankman-freed is fast becoming a touchstone of legal and financial intrigue, with more revelations expected as the courtroom saga continues.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5969335/advertisement
The third week of the criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried began Monday. Nishad Singh, one of three key witnesses for the prosecution, testified about the alleged misuse of customer funds and a toxic work environment at FTX, created by Sam Bankman-Fried. Singh's account echoed earlier testimony by former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX CTO Gary Wang and raised questions anew about the company's venture investments, excessive spending on sponsorships, and attempts to deceive regulators. Singh also described his growing concerns about Bankman-Fried's lavish spending, even as the company faced mounting financial difficulties. Catch up on Unchained's previous coverage: SBF Trial, Day 1: Possible Witnesses Include FTX Insiders, Big Names in Crypto, and SBF's Family SBF Trial, Day 2: DOJ Says Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Lied' While Defense Claims His Actions Were ‘Reasonable' SBF Trial, Day 3: Why a True Believer in FTX Flipped Once He Learned One Fact SBF Trial, Day 4: SBF's Lawyers Annoy Judge Kaplan, While Wang Reveals Alameda's Special Privileges SBF Trial, Day 5: SBF's Defense Finally Found Its Legs, But Can It Counter Caroline Ellison? SBF Trial, Day 6: Caroline Ellison Recalls 'The Worst Week of My Life' SBF Trial, Day 7: In SBF Trial, Did the Defense Lose Its Opportunity With the Star Witness? SBF Trial, Day 8: Former BlockFi CEO Adds Credibility to Fraud Charges Did Sam Bankman-Fried Have Intent to Defraud FTX Investors? Why These Lawyers Say It's Over for SBF-But His Only Hail Mary Is to Testify Here's How Sam Bankman-Fried's High-Stakes Trial Could Play Out SBF Trial: How Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Might Try and Win His Case The High-Stakes Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried Begins: What to Expect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Overpriced JPEGs - Courthouse Edition! I was in court all day at SBF's trial and heard former FTX + Alameda exec, Nishad Singh, talk about the time SBF wanted to lie to the CFTC... and also describe the moment he found out Alameda was using FTX customer money to fund their lavish spending. sambankmanfried #sambankmanfriednews #sbf #crypto #cryptocurrency #carolineellison #nishadsingh OPJ Gin Bottle Redemption: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/gin OPJ NFT Link: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/buy-opj-nft OPENSEA | STUDIO Check out the latest drops in OpenSea: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/OpenSea WEB3SENSE | DEMO Find out more + get a demo today: https://overpricedjpegs.cc/web3sense
This is the FTX on Trial podcast and this is your update for 10-16-2023.In a courtroom drama unfolding that could potentially send ripples across the crypto trading world, former cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-freed stands accused of orchestrating a complex scheme to defraud investors. A storm of testimonies has painted a picture of a deceitful financial realm, spearheaded by Bankman-freed and executed through his closest associates, among them, the former Alameda Research CEO, Caroline Ellison. Prosecutors allege that under Bankman-freed's directive, Ellison played a pivotal role in siphoning off funds from unsuspecting customers of the FTX crypto exchange to settle Alameda's burgeoning debts.Ellison, once romantically linked to Bankman-freed, took to the stand, admitting to her role in the deceit. She portrayed Bankman-freed as the puppet master, dictating every dishonest move to camouflage the dire financial straits of Alameda and FTX from employees, investors, and auditors.The trial took a heated turn as Bankman-freed's defense team, led by attorney Mark Cohen, attempted to dissect Ellison's testimony, but with little success. The cross-examination meandered, leaving the courtroom, including the judge, in a state of bewilderment.As the narrative unfolded, former FTX Director of Engineering, Nishad Singh, revealed his creation of a covert software code, enabling Alameda to dip into FTX's funds undetected. Meanwhile, Mark Wetjen from FTX, disclosed his futile attempts to confront Bankman-freed about the financial discrepancies he discovered, only to be brushed off.The prosecution showcased evidence of Bankman-freed's alleged price manipulation tactics, claiming these deceptive actions lured venture capitalists into a false sense of security, and caused hefty losses to competitors.Further dark shades were added to this courtroom drama with revelations of Bankman-freed's political funding maneuvers, allegedly routing millions through dark money groups to obscure the true source of funds, in stark violation of federal election laws.Amid the flurry of accusations, Bankman-freed's defense maintains a stance of innocence, arguing his actions merely danced along the fine lines of the existing crypto trading regulations.As media lenses remain fixed on the unfolding courtroom drama, many within the crypto industry await with bated breath. The verdict could potentially set a precedent, leading to tighter regulatory reins on cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide.Bankman-freed, at the age of 31, has pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. The high-stakes trial continues to unravel with every testimony, shedding light on a murky tale of financial deceit within the booming, yet largely unregulated world of cryptocurrency trading.Thanks you for listening and be sure to check out the Google on Trial podcast to stay up to date on that trial.
This is the SBF on Trial podcast and this is your update for 10-16-2023.In a courtroom drama unfolding that could potentially send ripples across the crypto trading world, former cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-freed stands accused of orchestrating a complex scheme to defraud investors. A storm of testimonies has painted a picture of a deceitful financial realm, spearheaded by Bankman-freed and executed through his closest associates, among them, the former Alameda Research CEO, Caroline Ellison. Prosecutors allege that under Bankman-freed's directive, Ellison played a pivotal role in siphoning off funds from unsuspecting customers of the FTX crypto exchange to settle Alameda's burgeoning debts.Ellison, once romantically linked to Bankman-freed, took to the stand, admitting to her role in the deceit. She portrayed Bankman-freed as the puppet master, dictating every dishonest move to camouflage the dire financial straits of Alameda and FTX from employees, investors, and auditors.The trial took a heated turn as Bankman-freed's defense team, led by attorney Mark Cohen, attempted to dissect Ellison's testimony, but with little success. The cross-examination meandered, leaving the courtroom, including the judge, in a state of bewilderment.As the narrative unfolded, former FTX Director of Engineering, Nishad Singh, revealed his creation of a covert software code, enabling Alameda to dip into FTX's funds undetected. Meanwhile, Mark Wetjen from FTX, disclosed his futile attempts to confront Bankman-freed about the financial discrepancies he discovered, only to be brushed off.The prosecution showcased evidence of Bankman-freed's alleged price manipulation tactics, claiming these deceptive actions lured venture capitalists into a false sense of security, and caused hefty losses to competitors.Further dark shades were added to this courtroom drama with revelations of Bankman-freed's political funding maneuvers, allegedly routing millions through dark money groups to obscure the true source of funds, in stark violation of federal election laws.Amid the flurry of accusations, Bankman-freed's defense maintains a stance of innocence, arguing his actions merely danced along the fine lines of the existing crypto trading regulations.As media lenses remain fixed on the unfolding courtroom drama, many within the crypto industry await with bated breath. The verdict could potentially set a precedent, leading to tighter regulatory reins on cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide.Bankman-freed, at the age of 31, has pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. The high-stakes trial continues to unravel with every testimony, shedding light on a murky tale of financial deceit within the booming, yet largely unregulated world of cryptocurrency trading.Thanks you for listening and be sure to check out the Google on Trial podcast to stay up to date on that trial.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5969335/advertisement
This is the Sam Bankman Freed podcast and this is your update for 10-16-2023.In a courtroom drama unfolding that could potentially send ripples across the crypto trading world, former cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-freed stands accused of orchestrating a complex scheme to defraud investors. A storm of testimonies has painted a picture of a deceitful financial realm, spearheaded by Bankman-freed and executed through his closest associates, among them, the former Alameda Research CEO, Caroline Ellison. Prosecutors allege that under Bankman-freed's directive, Ellison played a pivotal role in siphoning off funds from unsuspecting customers of the FTX crypto exchange to settle Alameda's burgeoning debts.Ellison, once romantically linked to Bankman-freed, took to the stand, admitting to her role in the deceit. She portrayed Bankman-freed as the puppet master, dictating every dishonest move to camouflage the dire financial straits of Alameda and FTX from employees, investors, and auditors.The trial took a heated turn as Bankman-freed's defense team, led by attorney Mark Cohen, attempted to dissect Ellison's testimony, but with little success. The cross-examination meandered, leaving the courtroom, including the judge, in a state of bewilderment.As the narrative unfolded, former FTX Director of Engineering, Nishad Singh, revealed his creation of a covert software code, enabling Alameda to dip into FTX's funds undetected. Meanwhile, Mark Wetjen from FTX, disclosed his futile attempts to confront Bankman-freed about the financial discrepancies he discovered, only to be brushed off.The prosecution showcased evidence of Bankman-freed's alleged price manipulation tactics, claiming these deceptive actions lured venture capitalists into a false sense of security, and caused hefty losses to competitors.Further dark shades were added to this courtroom drama with revelations of Bankman-freed's political funding maneuvers, allegedly routing millions through dark money groups to obscure the true source of funds, in stark violation of federal election laws.Amid the flurry of accusations, Bankman-freed's defense maintains a stance of innocence, arguing his actions merely danced along the fine lines of the existing crypto trading regulations.As media lenses remain fixed on the unfolding courtroom drama, many within the crypto industry await with bated breath. The verdict could potentially set a precedent, leading to tighter regulatory reins on cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide.Bankman-freed, at the age of 31, has pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. The high-stakes trial continues to unravel with every testimony, shedding light on a murky tale of financial deceit within the booming, yet largely unregulated world of cryptocurrency trading.Thanks you for listening and be sure to check out the Google on Trial podcast to stay up to date on that trial.
On this day in legal history, October 11, 1872, Chief Justice Harlan Stone was born – but he wasn't born the Chief Justice. He was appointed much later when he was an adult. Harlan Fiske Stone was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1925 to 1941 and then as the 12th Chief Justice of the United States from 1941 until his death in 1946. Born on October 11, 1872, in Chesterfield, New Hampshire, Stone was initially a law professor and later the dean at Columbia Law School. He was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge to the Supreme Court and was later elevated to Chief Justice by Franklin D. Roosevelt.One of Stone's significant contributions to American jurisprudence came in the case of International Shoe Co. v. Washington (1945). In this landmark decision, the mere name of which gives anyone who attended law school hives, Stone formulated the "minimum contacts" test, which has become a cornerstone in the area of personal jurisdiction in civil cases. The ruling clarified the circumstances under which an out-of-state corporation could be subject to the jurisdiction of local courts, thereby modernizing jurisdictional rules to fit a growing national economy.Stone is perhaps best known for his "Footnote Four" in the landmark case of United States v. Carolene Products Co. (1938), which laid the groundwork for the modern tiers of judicial scrutiny and the protection of minority rights. He also authored the majority opinion in the case of United States v. Darby Lumber Co. (1941), which upheld the Fair Labor Standards Act and confirmed Congress's power to regulate labor conditions.Another case that drew significant attention during Stone's tenure was Korematsu v. United States (1944). Although Stone did not write the majority opinion, he was part of the court that upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This decision has been widely criticized for its stance on civil liberties and is often cited as a low point in the Court's history. Stone's own views on the case have been the subject of much scholarly debate, given his generally liberal leanings on civil rights issues.Stone was known for his judicial integrity and liberal jurisprudence, often siding with Justices Louis Brandeis and Benjamin Cardozo on progressive interpretations of the Constitution. His tenure as Chief Justice was marked by a number of key decisions that expanded civil liberties and federal power, shaping American constitutional law for generations to come.The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from 12 Republican-led states challenging the Biden administration's estimates for the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions. The high court left in place a federal appeals court decision, stating that the states, led by Missouri, lacked the legal standing to sue as they hadn't suffered a concrete injury. The Biden administration's estimates are intended to guide federal agencies in assessing the climate impact of various projects and in formulating new regulations. These estimates could influence a wide range of sectors, including oil and gas, agriculture, and construction. The decision follows a previous Supreme Court action that blocked an attempt to reinstate former President Trump's less stringent cost-estimation policy.Supreme Court Rejects GOP-Led States on Biden Climate EstimatesThe U.S. Supreme Court has chosen not to review the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to reject Avail Vapor's application for marketing flavored e-cigarettes. Avail Vapor had argued that the FDA altered its application process for new tobacco products at the last minute, leading to a 99% rejection rate for e-cigarette applications. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit had previously sided with the FDA, stating that Avail failed to demonstrate that its products offered benefits to adults that outweighed the risks to young people. Avail contends that many adult smokers use e-cigarettes as a quitting aid. FDA Win on Flavored E-Cigarettes Won't Be Undone by JusticesIn an unusual legal move, Judge Jerry E. Smith of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit added what he called the "opinion that should have been issued" to his dissent in a death penalty case. The majority decision had maintained a pause on a Texas man's scheduled execution, a decision Smith labeled as "grave error." Instead of elaborating on his dissent, Smith attached an opinion styled as a majority ruling, even including the names of the other two judges on the panel. Texas prosecutors later cited Smith's opinion in their request to the Supreme Court to proceed with the execution, which was subsequently granted.Legal experts have noted that this approach is atypical. Tad Bartlett, an attorney who has reviewed all of the Fifth Circuit's decisions over the past three years, said he had never seen a dissenting opinion formatted this way. He speculated that Smith's opinion might have initially been a draft that became a dissent when it was clear he didn't have the majority support. Given the expedited nature of death penalty cases, Smith may have retained the original formatting to save time.The majority ruling indicated that another judge on the panel, Judge James E. Graves Jr., would issue his own concurring opinion, which was later included in an amended majority opinion. Stacy Rogers Sharp, an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, warned that Smith's unusual approach could blur the lines between what is or is not the law, potentially undermining the majority opinion.Fifth Circuit Judge Adds Alternate Majority Opinion to Dissent (2)Legal experts predict that the U.S. Supreme Court may narrow or even overturn the Chevron Doctrine, a precedent that has significantly shaped the modern administrative state. The doctrine, established in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, allows courts to defer to federal agencies' interpretations of ambiguous statutes. Bertrall Ross, a law professor, suggests that the Court is also likely to use the major questions and non-delegation doctrines to further limit agency power. A ruling that diminishes Chevron deference would require courts to interpret statutes more frequently and could create additional legislative work for Congress.Professor Allison Orr Larsen believes that the Court may limit Chevron deference to cases involving "genuine ambiguities" in statutory text. Ross adds that Congress might have to revisit statutes regularly if agencies can't resolve ambiguities. He also notes that the Court's recent decisions indicate a preference for major political issues to be handled by Congress rather than agencies. Meaghan VerGow, a legal partner, points out that another case, SEC v. Jarkesy, raises questions about the president's ability to remove administrative law judges, which could potentially create due process issues.Avid fans of Minimum Competence will remember we did a special Max Min episode on both Chevron Deference and the Major Questions Doctrine. Expect Narrowing of Chevron Doctrine, High Court Watchers SayThe fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, related to the collapse of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange, is set to continue with further testimony from Caroline Ellison, a key witness and former co-head of Bankman-Fried's hedge fund, Alameda Research. Ellison has already testified that she was part of a multi-billion-dollar conspiracy led by Bankman-Fried to defraud FTX customers, investors, and lenders. She is among three former insiders who have pleaded guilty to fraud and are cooperating with prosecutors. Ellison revealed that the hedge fund used about $10 billion in FTX customer funds to repay debts and make investments.She also stated that Bankman-Fried, who is her former boss and occasional romantic partner, was indifferent to the risks associated with Alameda's lending and investment strategies. Prosecutors allege that Bankman-Fried misused billions in customer funds to support Alameda, purchase real estate, and donate over $100 million to U.S. political campaigns. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to the charges, arguing that while he made mistakes, he did not intend to steal funds.In his opening statement, defense lawyer Mark Cohen urged jurors to question the credibility of cooperating witnesses like Ellison, suggesting they might be reinterpreting past decisions to appear more nefarious. Gary Wang, FTX's former technology chief, also testified that Bankman-Fried falsely claimed FTX was stable as it faced a surge in withdrawal demands. The trial, which could last up to six weeks, is also expected to feature testimony from another cooperating witness, former FTX engineering chief Nishad Singh.Sam Bankman-Fried's trial to resume with more testimony from Caroline Ellison | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Crypto influencer and journalist Tiffany Fong joins me to discuss:- All details of the Sam Bankman-Fried FTX Trial so far- SBF's new look and demeanor- Gary Wang & Nishad Singh testimonies- Caroline Ellison's testimony this week- SBF's Delusion leading to his downfall- SBF's parents involvement- Michael Lewis 60 minutes Comments on SBF- Celsius and Alex Mashinsky Follow Tiffany: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TiffanyFongTwitter - https://twitter.com/TiffanyFong_Substack - https://tiffanyfong.substack.com/
This is the SBF on Trial Podcast and this is the update for 10-09-2023.The trial is shaping up to be one of the most important cryptocurrency cases in history. Bankman-Freed, the former CEO of FTX, is facing seven counts of fraud and conspiracy charges. He's accused of using customer funds to bail out his hedge fund, Alameda Research, and of lying to investors about the financial health of his companies.In the past 72 hours, there have been some major developments in the trial. On Friday, Gary Wang, the co-founder and former CTO of FTX, testified that Alameda owed FTX $11 billion at the time of its collapse in November 2022. This is significantly higher than the $8 billion that Bankman-Freed had previously disclosed.Wang also admitted that FTX did not have a comprehensive risk management framework in place, but he said that this was due to the fast-paced and evolving nature of the cryptocurrency industry.On Thursday, Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at FTX, testified that Alameda Research received special privileges from FTX, such as an exemption from the exchange's liquidation engine. Singh said that these privileges were granted by Bankman-Freed and Gary Wang.And on Wednesday, Matthew Huang, the co-founder of the venture capital firm Paradigm, testified that Bankman-Freed used FTX customer funds to bail out Alameda Research in May 2022. Huang said that Bankman-Freed told him that he had transferred $2 billion from FTX to Alameda without telling his board of directors or investors.Bankman-Freed's lawyers have argued that he made mistakes while running FTX, but that he did not commit fraud. They say that Bankman-Freed was "overwhelmed" by the company's rapid growth and that he was "trying to do the best he could."The trial is expected to last several weeks, and it's being closely watched by regulators and investors alike. The outcome of the trial could have a significant impact on the future of cryptocurrency regulation.Stay tuned for more updates on the SBF on Trial Podcast
This is the SBF on Trial Podcast and this is the update for 10-09-2023.The trial is shaping up to be one of the most important cryptocurrency cases in history. Bankman-Freed, the former CEO of FTX, is facing seven counts of fraud and conspiracy charges. He's accused of using customer funds to bail out his hedge fund, Alameda Research, and of lying to investors about the financial health of his companies.In the past 72 hours, there have been some major developments in the trial. On Friday, Gary Wang, the co-founder and former CTO of FTX, testified that Alameda owed FTX $11 billion at the time of its collapse in November 2022. This is significantly higher than the $8 billion that Bankman-Freed had previously disclosed.Wang also admitted that FTX did not have a comprehensive risk management framework in place, but he said that this was due to the fast-paced and evolving nature of the cryptocurrency industry.On Thursday, Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at FTX, testified that Alameda Research received special privileges from FTX, such as an exemption from the exchange's liquidation engine. Singh said that these privileges were granted by Bankman-Freed and Gary Wang.And on Wednesday, Matthew Huang, the co-founder of the venture capital firm Paradigm, testified that Bankman-Freed used FTX customer funds to bail out Alameda Research in May 2022. Huang said that Bankman-Freed told him that he had transferred $2 billion from FTX to Alameda without telling his board of directors or investors.Bankman-Freed's lawyers have argued that he made mistakes while running FTX, but that he did not commit fraud. They say that Bankman-Freed was "overwhelmed" by the company's rapid growth and that he was "trying to do the best he could."The trial is expected to last several weeks, and it's being closely watched by regulators and investors alike. The outcome of the trial could have a significant impact on the future of cryptocurrency regulation.Stay tuned for more updates on the SBF on Trial PodcastThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5969335/advertisement
This is the Sam Bankman-Freed PodcastThe trial is shaping up to be one of the most important cryptocurrency cases in history. Bankman-Freed, the former CEO of FTX, is facing seven counts of fraud and conspiracy charges. He's accused of using customer funds to bail out his hedge fund, Alameda Research, and of lying to investors about the financial health of his companies.In the past 72 hours, there have been some major developments in the trial. On Friday, Gary Wang, the co-founder and former CTO of FTX, testified that Alameda owed FTX $11 billion at the time of its collapse in November 2022. This is significantly higher than the $8 billion that Bankman-Freed had previously disclosed.Wang also admitted that FTX did not have a comprehensive risk management framework in place, but he said that this was due to the fast-paced and evolving nature of the cryptocurrency industry.On Thursday, Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at FTX, testified that Alameda Research received special privileges from FTX, such as an exemption from the exchange's liquidation engine. Singh said that these privileges were granted by Bankman-Freed and Gary Wang.And on Wednesday, Matthew Huang, the co-founder of the venture capital firm Paradigm, testified that Bankman-Freed used FTX customer funds to bail out Alameda Research in May 2022. Huang said that Bankman-Freed told him that he had transferred $2 billion from FTX to Alameda without telling his board of directors or investors.Bankman-Freed's lawyers have argued that he made mistakes while running FTX, but that he did not commit fraud. They say that Bankman-Freed was "overwhelmed" by the company's rapid growth and that he was "trying to do the best he could."The trial is expected to last several weeks, and it's being closely watched by regulators and investors alike. The outcome of the trial could have a significant impact on the future of cryptocurrency regulation.Stay tuned for more updates on the Sam Bankman-Freed Podcast
Paris Marx is joined by Jacob Silverman to discuss the start of the criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, what we know about the case, and whether he's likely to be found guilty. Jacob Silverman is a journalist and the co-author of Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud. He's also the host of The Naked Emperor. Find more of Jacob's work on jacobsilverman.com.Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.The podcast is produced by Eric Wickham and part of the Harbinger Media Network.Also mentioned in this episode:Jacob wrote about the trial on his newsletter.Molly White has also written a preview of what's to come in the Bankman-Fried trial.Sam Bankman-Fried leaked Caroline Ellison's diaries to the New York Times. Soon after, his bail was revoked and he was sent to prison for over witness tampering.Sam Bankman-Fried was interviewed by Matt Levine on Odd Lots and basically admitted yield farming was a Ponzi scheme.Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, and Nishad Singh have all pleaded guilty and are expected to be collaborating with the government against Bankman-Fried.Bankman-Fried's parents are also being sued over the millions they got from FTX.Support the show
In the first episode of Coinage's investigation into SBF's upcoming defense, we looked at SBF's right-hand woman: Caroline Ellison. She is one of three FTX executives who have pleaded guilty, along with Gary Wang and Nishad Singh. This episode explores SBF's claim that a fourth conspirator played an even larger role in FTX's collapse: FTX's legal partners at major law firms Fenwick & West and Sullivan & Cromwell. It's a lofty claim, and no doubt one that will be heavily scrutinized from all sides in the courtroom, but it's also not without support – even from 18 state regulators and a bipartisan group of senators, who wrote, “given their long standing legal work for FTX, they may well bear a measure of responsibility for the damage wrecked on the company's victims.”Sullivan & Cromwell is now leading FTX's bankruptcy process and is set to rake in nearly $800 million in legal fees over the next two years. SBF claims that money is being drained from customers, but what do they think? You can read and watch Coinage's full reporting on SBF's legal defense at Coinage.Media. Watch our full trial coverage at https://www.coinage.media/sbf-trialRead the full Coinage ArticleSign up for the daily CoinDesk SBF Trial NewsletterCredits: Wondercraft AI Voice, Coinage and CoinDesk. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Just days before Sam Bankman-Fried landed in a Brooklyn prison for breaking his bail agreement, he agreed to answer questions from the Coinage community. It would become his last interview before he was admitted to Metropolitan Detention Center. Surprisingly, he provided about 50 pages of documents outlining his defense strategy. In this exclusive series, we explore exactly what SBF says led to FTX downfall, and discuss SBF's exclusive defense strategy with experts, including the former prosecutor who took down Bernie Madoff.In Episode 1, we take a closer look at SBF's right-hand woman: Caroline Ellison. One of three FTX executives who have pleaded guilty, along with Gary Wang and Nishad Singh, Caroline Ellison was CEO of Alameda Research, SBF's bespoke trading firm that operated on FTX. Caroline admits that she committed crimes during her time as the head of Alameda. SBF said he was unaware — and says it's precisely because he was unaware of just how badly Caroline was running Alameda that its collapse took down FTX. But does that defense stand a chance at trial?“It's tough for an MIT graduate who comes off as kind of a master of the universe type to argue that he's an idiot,” says Marc Litt. You can read and watch Coinage's full reporting on SBF's legal defense at Coinage.Media. Watch our full trial coverage at https://www.coinage.media/sbf-trialRead the full Coinage Article.Sign up for the daily CoinDesk SBF Trial Newsletter.Credits: Wondercraft AI Voice, Coinage and CoinDesk.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this day in history, July 21, the North Atlantic Treaty, of NATO fame, was ratified in the Senate.In the wake of World War II, the United States emerged as an unrivaled superpower, boasting a robust military, thriving economy, and moral ascendancy. Despite a history of isolationism, encouraged since the time of George Washington, shifts in policy started to emerge. On March 12, 1947, President Harry S. Truman issued his doctrine of containment, signaling a departure from the U.S. tradition of avoiding non-domestic conflicts. Truman promised aid to all "free people" under threat, marking a shift with financial assistance to Greece and Turkey to shield them from communism. In 1948, the U.S. introduced the European Recovery Program, commonly known as the Marshall Plan, designed to rebuild war-devastated Europe and bolster its economies.Simultaneously, the Senate approved the Vandenburg Resolution in June 1948, paving the way for U.S. participation in peacetime collective defense systems. Beginning in 1948, confidential discussions among American, British, and Canadian officials eventually expanded to include other future Allies, laying the foundation for the North Atlantic Treaty. Despite strong isolationist and unilateralist sentiments in the Senate and among the American populace, significant events like the Berlin Blockade and the Czechoslovakian communist coup in 1948 helped alter perspectives on Europe. The Red Scare did a lot of that heavy lifting too. On April 4, 1949, U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson signed the North Atlantic Treaty, aligning the United States more closely with Europe's future. The Senate ratified this treaty on July 21, 1949, with an 83-13 vote. Four days later, President Truman and Secretary Acheson signed the Instrument of Accession, establishing the United States as a founding member of NATO. On July 20, 2023, New York City agreed to pay $13 million to hundreds of individuals arrested during the George Floyd protests in 2020. This marks the largest class action settlement ever paid to protesters in the United States. The protests were in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Each of the more than 1,300 protestors arrested between May 28 and June 4, 2020, will receive $9,950 as part of the settlement. However, those charged with crimes like arson or property destruction will not receive any part of the settlement, which still requires approval by U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon. Allegations of police misconduct during the protests include the use of pepper spray, excessive force with batons, and "kettling", a practice where police corral protestors into a confined area. Earlier in March, New York had agreed to a separate $7 million settlement for over 300 people arrested during a June 4, 2020, demonstration in the Bronx.New York to pay $13 million to protesters arrested during George Floyd protests | ReutersFTX Trading has filed a lawsuit against its founder Sam Bankman-Fried and several former executives, aiming to recover over $1 billion they allegedly misused before the company's bankruptcy. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware bankruptcy court, also includes defendants Caroline Ellison, Zixiao "Gary" Wang, and Nishad Singh. FTX accuses the defendants of misappropriating funds for luxury real estate, political donations, speculative investments, and other personal interests, describing their actions as "one of the largest financial frauds in history." The alleged fraudulent transfers took place between February 2020 and November 2022, when FTX filed for Chapter 11 protection. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to several criminal charges, while Ellison, Wang, and Singh have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. The lawsuit alleges that a significant portion of the misappropriated funds included over $725 million of equity awarded without any return value, as well as $546 million used to purchase Robinhood Market shares. The case is now pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware.FTX sues Bankman-Fried, others to recoup more than $1 billion | ReutersTwitter has announced plans to subpoena US Senator Elizabeth Warren as part of an ongoing dispute with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concerning data breaches. Last year, following billionaire Elon Musk's acquisition of the social media company, extensive layoffs and cost reductions led to questions regarding Twitter's ability to comply with an FTC consent order. Twitter has asked for this consent order to be annulled, alleging FTC bias and overreach in its filings in a federal court in San Francisco. Warren, along with several other Democratic senators, previously urged the FTC to scrutinize Twitter's privacy policies post-layoffs and consider enforcing actions against its executives, if necessary. The subpoena demands all communications involving Twitter or Elon Musk between Warren's office and the FTC, as well as between her office and the Securities and Exchange Commission. In 2020, Twitter agreed to pay $150 million in a settlement with the FTC and the Justice Department over allegations of private user information misuse for targeted advertising.Twitter to subpoena Senator Elizabeth Warren over communications with US agencies | ReutersKPMG is harnessing generative artificial intelligence (AI) to assist tax professionals and audit processes, marking a significant stage in its $2 billion commitment to AI integration. The firm has developed a 'virtual assistant' which aids in gathering tax data and analyzing tax obligations. Powered by Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and OpenAI's ChatGPT, KPMG envisions a return of up to $12 billion in revenue from the five-year investment. Other "Big Four" accounting firms are also investing heavily in AI, with Deloitte, PwC, and Ernst & Young launching their own generative AI initiatives. While enhancing productivity, the firms remain cautious about the use of AI in audits, aiming to certify, verify, and understand the results it generates. However, the application of generative AI is not without potential risks, including the possibility of overlooking gaps in its applicability across different regions and functions. Despite these challenges, firms recognize AI's transformative potential for their business operations.KPMG Rolls out Generative AI to Tax Pros, Launches Audit Pilot Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
I flew out to Chicago to interview Brett Harrison, who is the former President of FTX US President and founder of Architect.In his first longform interview since the fall of FTX, he speak in great detail about his entire tenure there and about SBF's dysfunctional leadership. He talks about how the inner circle of Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, and SBF mismanaged the company, controlled the codebase, got distracted by media, and even threatened him for his letter of resignation.In what was my favorite part of the interview, we also discuss his insights about the financial system from his decades of experience in the world's largest HFT firms.And we talk about Brett's new startup, Architect, as well as the general state of crypto post-FTX.After talking with Brett for 3 hours, I found him to be extremely intelligent, thoughtful, and ethical.Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Read the full transcript here. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes.Similar episodesSide note: Paying the billsTo help pay the bills for my podcast, I've turned on paid subscriptions on Substack.No major content will be paywalled - please don't donate if you have to think twice before buying a cup of coffee.But if you have the means & have enjoyed my podcast, I would appreciate your support
Prompt engineers; the hopes of generative AI; Universal Basic AI, at least for the privileged; FTX consequences coming in; AI images not copyrightable in the US; deepfake & AI hacks; more Twitter layoffs & unpaid bills; Jack's beard roles out a Twitter competitor; Tesla pauses driver-assistance rollout; Waymo tries Los Angeles; the Mandalorian, Bad Batch & Picard; Marc Maron gets bleak; Dilbert dropped; more Lord of the Rings movies coming; Die Hart; History of the World, Part II; Bing Chat built into Windows 11 update; FAL detector; Tik Tok government device ban; let us take you into that meeting.Sponsors:Lectric eBikes - Start your next adventure with a Lectric XP 3.0 today. Visit lectricebikes.com to learn more, and mention GOG at checkout because you love us!Kolide - Visit kolide.com/gog to learn more or book a demo.Show notes at https://gog.show/591/FOLLOW UPAI's rise generates new job title: Prompt engineerIntroducing ChatGPT and Whisper APIsOpenAI Price Drop: [Another] MegathreadAdobe's Scott Belsky talks generative AI — and why it's not going to end up like web3In todays iteration of unchecked emerging tech concernsIN THE NEWSFTX co-founder Nishad Singh pleads guilty to fraud and conspiracy chargesAI-created images lose U.S. copyrights in test for new technologyDeepfake AI Hack Dupes Avenged Sevenfold Fans into Thinking the Band Canceled Festival DatesMeta revamps AI unit to get generative tech into productsElon Musk's Twitter lays off yet even more workersJack Dorsey's Twitter alternative Bluesky is now available in closed betaTwitter hit with new lawsuits for not paying billsFighting ‘Woke AI,' Musk Recruits Team to Develop OpenAI RivalTesla Pauses Rollout of Driving Software Subject to US RecallWaymo is starting driverless taxi tests in Los AngelesMEDIA CANDYThe MandalorianMarc Maron: From Bleak to Dark‘Dilbert' dropped by The Post, other papers, after cartoonist's racist rantMusk defends ‘Dilbert' creator, says media is ‘racist against whites'MAGAbertNew ‘Lord of the Rings' Movies Set at Warner Bros.History of the World, Part IIDie HartHow to write a Smiths song in 1 minute'Ted Lasso' season 3 trailer previews the highs and lows of the Premier LeagueDamian Lewis Returning To ‘Billions' For Season 7APPS & DOODADSNew Windows 11 update puts AI-powered Bing Chat directly in the taskbarAI Tool Reveals How Celebrities' Faces Have Been PhotoshoppedYouTube's new leader teases AI tools that can virtually swap creators' outfits and locationsGovernment agencies have 30 days to purge devices of Tik TokCanada is reportedly banning TikTok from government-issued devicesThe Camera-Shy HoodieJailbreak ChatFord files patent for system that could remotely repossess a carSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest big news, in the wake of FTX's collapse: Nishad Singh, former head of engineering, has pleaded guilty to six charges as well as a “no contest” to civil charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission. In todays' episode, NLW explores what we've learned from the charges, including new revelations about FTX's 2021 revenue. - “The Breakdown” is written, produced and narrated by Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Michele Musso and research by Scott Hill. Jared Schwartz is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. Music behind our sponsor today is “Foothill Blvd” by Sam Barsh. Image credit: erhui1979/ Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8. Join the most important conversation in crypto and Web3 at Consensus 2023, happening April 26-28 in Austin, Texas. Come and immerse yourself in all that Web3, crypto, blockchain and the metaverse have to offer. Use code BREAKDOWN to get 15% off your pass. Visit consensus.coindesk.com.
Singh has pleaded guilty to six counts and has agreed to cooperate with investigators. The latest big news, in the wake of FTX's collapse: Nishad Singh, former head of engineering, has pleaded guilty to six charges as well as a “no contest” to civil charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission. In today's episode, NLW explores what we've learned from the charges, including new revelations about FTX's 2021 revenue.-“The Breakdown” is written, produced and narrated by Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Michele Musso and research by Scott Hill. Jared Schwartz is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. Music behind our sponsor today is “Foothill Blvd” by Sam Barsh. Image credit: erhui1979/ Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8.-Join the most important conversation in crypto and Web3 at Consensus 2023, happening April 26-28 in Austin, Texas. Come and immerse yourself in all that Web3, crypto, blockchain and the metaverse have to offer. Use code BREAKDOWN to get 15% off your pass. Visit consensus.coindesk.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Follow gm PodcastTwitter: @gmdecryptWebsite: Decrypt.coEmail: MatthewAaron@Decrypt.coNews Links
Après l'intimidation, temps pour Google de rendre des comptes aux Canadiens. Malgré la fin de la pandémie, le commerce électronique est en croissance au pays. Le co-fondateur et directeur de l'ingénierie de FTX, Nishad Singh, plaide coupable de fraude. Chronique économique avec l'économiste Francis Gosselin. Pour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
Matt and Nic return for another week of news and deals. In this episode: What's happening with Proof of Reserves? Will BTC and ETH have another fee crisis? Nishad Singh has met with the SDNY in a proffer session The SEC is investigating VC funds that invested in FTX FTX debtors and the Bahamas announced a cooperation agreement FTX announced that it has recovered over $5 billion in assets thus far Gemini and DCG continue to face off Cameron Winklevoss' letter to DCG Nexo is raided in Bulgaria for alleged money laundering Robinhood is dropping support for Bitcoin SV DCG is under investigation from the SEC Mike Novogratz wants to punch disgraced crypto titans in the face Crypto charity boxing We review Ace Ventura: Pet Detective SBF starts a Substack Japanese retail sours on crypto Should there be more charity boxing in crypto? The state of crypto podcast sponsors Content mentioned in this episode: Ria on Mirror, Reviving Trust in Crypto Coinbase, 2023 Crypto Market Outlook Sponsor notes: Subscribe to the Coin Metrics State of the Network newsletter
VLOG: Death penalty trial of Saipov, Day 2; dirty doc Hadden, Thom Browne & Messi; FTX Nishad Singh proffers, arb move in Gemini case as @SecBlinken brags of UN corruption - while accepting censorship by @AntonioGuterres
Heya Cryptozens, Episode 424: NFT Fraud Arrest Nishad Singh Investigated US Crypto Industry Scrutiny 3AC Subpoenaed Binance Joins Sanctions Group USDD Depegs French Central Bank Wants Standards It's 10 PM Pacific time and the date is January 6th, 2023. Welcome back to the Crypto Overnighter. My name is Nikodemus, I'll be your host as we take a nightly look at the crypto, nft and metaverse space and the industry that surrounds it. And keep in mind, nothing in this show should ever be considered financial advice. Email: nick@cryptoovernighter.com Salem Friends of Felines: https://sfof.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CryptoCorvus1
De Sennheiser Ambeo Plus geeft je, als we de website van het Duitse audiobedrijf moeten geloven, 'een thuisbioscoopervaring met een ongeëvenaard, meeslepend geluid.' Daar hangt dan ook een flink prijskaartje aan. Krijg je met deze soundbar waar voor je geld? Verder in de Tech Update: Op een hackersforum circuleren 200 miljoen (!) mailadressen die zijn buitgemaakt bij een hackaanval op Twitter Amerikaanse autoriteiten hebben het nu ook gemunt op Nishad Singh, de voormalig Head of Engineering bij cryptobeurs FTX See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
VLOG: Day before Bankman-Fried arraignment, where is Nishad Singh, what of money doled by McCaskill, Gemini lawsuit @SDNYLIVE and @JapanMissionUN jumps the gun on UNSC presidency, Press banned from UN
A version of this essay was published by firstpost.com at https://www.firstpost.com/world/ftx-saga-and-many-implosions-in-us-especially-in-big-tech-11709111.htmlElizabeth Holmes, the formerly celebrated founder of Theranos, got hit with a jail term of 11 years, according to the Wall Street Journal. That was a startling end to what looked at one time like a huge Silicon Valley success story.But it was not the only Big Tech or big company story. The following stories also come from the WSJ:Along with these, there have been stories about massive layoffs: Meta axes 13% of its workforce, or about 11,000 people; Amazon lays off 10,000 staff, mostly those in core areas such as engineering and marketing; and Google (Alphabet) is under pressure from activist investor TCI to do much the same for cost-cutting reasons. All this may add up to a “techno-winter” (if not a general recession), one might think; surely the “crypto-winter” is already in progress. But is that really true? I believe there are three separate things going on, and it does not make sense to mingle all of them and seek solutions. The first is just plain old-fashioned grift; the second is the normal churn in business models; and the third is whether crypto makes sense.There are always major scams in the US: examples include Enron, Bernie Madoff, and the Lehman Brothers meltdown. There is the spectacle of supposedly sensible people (e.g. bankers and venture capitalists) being completely bamboozled by a smooth-talking person with a spreadsheet, with the result that lots of investor's (and taxpayers') money goes down the drain.Elizabeth Holmes seems to have hoodwinked the whos-who of not only Silicon Valley's VCs, but also name-brand politicians and captains of industry and got them on her board of directors. I mean, George Schulz and Henry Kissinger: it doesn't get any bigger than this. Exactly what did these luminaries see in the company? Some earth-shaking vision, I suppose. To be honest, I too wondered if Theranos did have a really disruptive technology that would upend the market for diagnostic blood tests. But after an expose in Bad Blood by a WSJ reporter, it was clear that the company was really a house of cards (see my column on this in Open Magazine, where I explored, among other things, Holmes' ‘reality distortion field').It is now clear that Theranos was a scam built up by Holmes and her then-boyfriend, Ramesh ‘Sunny' Balwani, a Pakistani-American entrepreneur who was much older than her, who was also president of the company. Holmes got sentenced to 11 years, Balwani got 13. Bernie Madoff, and Jeff Epstein also got long sentences. Bernie Madoff is a champion of sorts, for he ran the largest Ponzi scheme in history: $64 billion.Now Sam Bankman-Fried is giving Madoff a run for his money. His crypto exchange, FTX, valued at $32 billion just a fortnight ago, is worth virtually nothing at this time, and billions of dollars worth of customers' money has… disappeared. John Ray III, the lawyer brought in to clean up FTX during bankruptcy proceedings (ironically the same person who did the Enron clean-up), said he couldn't believe the ‘unprecedented mess' he found there. The point is that despite all the fuss about crypto-currency, it is increasingly evident that Sam Bankman-Fried ran an old-fashioned fraud: “pump and dump”. The crypto bit was merely window-dressing to give sex appeal to the whole gig. And it worked, too. Major investors like the blue-chip VC firm Sequoia Capital were so thoroughly taken in that the purported reactions of their partners is simply astonishing, if true. Here's a screenshot of an alleged Sequoia memo. There's worse: another tweet purports to show that two partners, a male and a female, reported being sexually aroused on hearing Bankman-Fried's pitch about FTX's world-beating vision to control all money (it is too embarrassing and too crude to quote):Is crypto a scam? Stephen Diehl, author of Popping the Crypto Bubble says so in this interview with the Financial Times. He calls post-2016 crypto the Grifter Era, and that's not far from the truth. It's like the carpetbaggers have arrived and set up shop. I am personally of the opinion that crypto may have some value, only that the killer apps haven't been dreamt up yet; I do believe the underlying blockchains are useful, although successful rollouts and use cases are still too few.But the point is that the FTX meltdown has relatively little to do with crypto per se. It was just a device to dress up a rather standard, old-fashioned fraud or Ponzi scheme. We have seen this sort of thing going even way back: remember the Dutch Tulip Bubble, and the South Seas Bubble. You have fast-talking hucksters hoodwinking gullible investors, who lose their shirts.It would be unfair to blame crypto for the greed and indiscipline shown by the FTX founder, or the lack of governance and regulatory control which let insiders essentially loot investor funds. For example, here's Bankman-Fried and Nishad Singh plundering away:The other angle that's remarkable is the fact that the meltdown happened just days after the US midterm elections. Coincidence? Hard to believe, because Sam Bankman-Fried had been a major donor to the Democratic party: he donated some $30 million directly to them, and then perhaps a few hundred million to the ecosystem around the Democratic party, especially the media. Said media then lionized Bankman-Fried beyond all reason, as though he were some messiah.Once again, the media, sadly, is not covering itself with glory. They didn't do any investigative journalism; and now that the skeletons are tumbling out of the closet, they should be kicking themselves for having missed out on a juicy story. But the omerta of left-leaning, ideological journalists is a wonder to behold. This is what the WaPo is worried about now? Not fraud?The ‘effective altruism' school of thought that SBF (Sam Bankman-Fried's handle) allegedly espoused is probably another scam, even though it's dressed up in fashionable ESG and DIE memes.Sam Bankman-Fried was the second-biggest donor to the Democratic party before the 2022 midterms (George Soros was the biggest). The website Gateway Pundit quoting someone else (ok, they might have a beef with Democrats anyway, so take it with a pinch of salt) paints a staggering picture of SBF's political and government connections, which is in itself highly suspicious. All this cannot be mere coincidence. Did SBF materially affect the midterm election results? I hope the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will launch an investigation. Frankly this smells like a Deep State operation. I am sure there is a Ukraine angle as well. More generally, is the US business model facing a crisis? ‘Greed is good', declared Gordon Gekko in Wall Street. Does modern corporate greed have an origin? In this interview with the Stanford Business School, David Gelles, author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism squarely blames ‘Neutron' Jack Welch of GE for what he claims is a toxic culture of profit at all cost in US corporations. That may or may not be fair to Welch, but anyway slash-and-burn, as well as short-termism and ideological metastasis seem to be the watchwords of many US CEOs these days.It would be difficult to accuse Elon Musk of seeking undue profit in his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, which probably is worth much less than that sum just weeks after Musk took it over. But the issue there is, as is probably the case with Disney too, that there is too much ideology permeating the firm. Disney's recently fired CEO was seriously into woke causes. What Musk has done is to sweep away the wokeness in Twitter, thereby possibly allowing it to fulfill its purported role of ‘digital town square'. Under the previous dispensation, it had become basically a far-left bubble, because anybody who didn't fit into their world-view was simply deplatformed, defenestrated, silenced, censored: the very antithesis of Freedom of Speech. I published this podcast long ago about how the explicit silencing of TrueIndology was a watershed event in the suppression of online speech in India. Shadow banning, reduction of followers, and other malign acts were common against anybody that the Twitter powers-that-be didn't consider to fit their views, which in India meant anti-Hindu perspectives. Despite all the noise in the media about how Twitter has gone down the drain, it is entirely possible that Musk will not run it into the ground. Advertisers who are now staying away will most likely return. The savage layoffs don't seem to have materially affected the actual performance of Twitter on the ground, as it were: so was there a lot of waste? Wokes are known to live well off Other People's Money, as in the very case of FTX (in the Bahamas), per the WSJ.I am betting that Elon Musk will be able to return Twitter to some semblance of a business model, not run it in the ground. After all, the platform does offer value to its subscribers, even long-suffering shadow-ban victims such as me (I have often found people I've never heard of have blocked me: I am apparently on mass-blocking lists) still find it useful.It is not clear, though, if the ‘greed at all costs' attitude of US business will survive. It is clear, for instance, that they have surrendered America's industrial capacity to China in the last 30 years, all in return for short-term profits from the ‘China price'. This is suicidal in the long run, as they are beginning to now realize. There has to be some introspection.It may be too grand to claim that Western business will now go through a sea-change, a once-in-a-generation shift to something more accountable to national interests. This is especially hard when the Deep State is so ascendant, and its friends in the military-industrial-complex thrive on war in Other People's Countries.But these woes are coming at the very time that we are seeing the limits of globalization and to the excesses of Wall Street and Silicon Valley VCs. The US business community, and regulators, should consider FTX and Theranos to be canaries in the coalmine: there are useful lessons in their failures.1675 words, 22 Nov 2022. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com
‘Crypto bros' donated to Iowa Democrats in 2022The Iowa Democratic Party said Wednesday it is looking into a $250,000 campaign donation from Nishad Singh, a former executive of the cryptocurrency company FTX. Singh's large donation was first reported by the Des Moines Register.But that was not the only donation Iowa Democrats received from FTX leaders in 2022.A separate $10,000 donation from Singh to the state party on the same date is recorded in federal campaign finance records.Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX's founder and CEO, donated $9,756.20 to the Iowa Democratic Party on Aug. 31, $2,900 to Democratic Representative Cindy Axne, on Oct. 17, and $5,000 to a PAC that supported Axne on Sept. 28 according to federal campaign finance records.Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas recently and faces myriad charges of fraud and money laundering.Singh donated more than $8 million to Democratic candidates and causes in 2021 and 2022, according to federal campaign finance records. Bankman-Fried donated more than $40 million to various political candidates and causes, from both major political parties, according to federal records.Pearson lays off 50 in Iowa City, closes officePearson is laying off 50 employees at its Iowa City facility on North Dodge — an office it recently closed “and opened opportunities for employees to work in one of our Cedar Rapids facilities,” a spokesman for the company said.The Iowa City layoffs were part of changes Pearson is making “to invest in priorities that will better serve our customers and drive growth in a rapidly changing market,” Dan Nelson, vice president of Pearson's global media relations, told The Gazette on Wednesday.“We understand that these changes are difficult for those whose jobs are affected,” Nelson said in an email. “We have been transparent with all impacted employees, offering ample notification, a generous severance package, and outplacement services.”Marion Methodist Church project may be among CDBG grant applications A renovation that seeks to breathe new life into Marion Methodist Church — a historic building that was saved from demolition through a last-minute deal this year — is among several projects looking for city support letters to apply for a Community Development Block Grant program.The Marion City Council will vote Thursday night on approving letters of support for the five projects that are looking to submit applications.The federal block grant disaster funds are allocated to the Iowa Economic Development Authority through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Linn County will receive 80 percent of the overall $57.6 million, while the other 20 percent — about $11 million — will be used in Marshall, Tama and Benton counties. The IEDA has six years to fully spend the funds.
Anche questa settimana, Elon Musk ha monopolizzato i titoli dei giornali. Il nuovo proprietario di Twitter ha prima bannato alcuni giornalisti per avere tracciato e postato i movimenti del suo jet privato. Poi, dopo un sondaggio tra i suoi follower, ha deciso di riammetterli nella piattaforma: “La gente ha parlato. Gli account che hanno 'doxxato' la mia posizione vedranno revocata ora la sospensione”, ha annunciato in un tweet. A inizio settimana, Musk aveva bandito dalla piattaforma Jack Sweeney, studente universitario della Florida, il cui account Twitter era denominato @ElonJet e tracciava tutti i movimento in tempo reale dell’aereo privato del miliardario. “La scorsa notte un'auto a Los Angeles è stata seguita da uno stalker pazzo, pensava fossi io, e poi l'ha bloccata e ha cercato di entrare dentro. Un'azione legale è stata avviata contro Sweeney e le organizzazioni che hanno provocato danni alla mia famiglia”, aveva spiegato il patron di Tesla in un tweet. La nuova policy di Twitter, come annunciato dallo stesso Musk, prevede che “ogni profilo che documenta gli spostamenti in tempo reale verrà sospeso perché costituisce una violazione alla sicurezza personale. Questo include indicare i luoghi con informazioni in tempo reale”. Tra le novità che arriveranno presto nella piattaforma, ci sarà l’innalzamento del numero di caratteri disponibili in ogni singolo tweet, che passerà dagli attuali 280 a 4.000. Il social network di Musk ha anche annunciato nuove regole per bloccare l'incitamento all'odio: “Non amplieremo i tweet contenenti insulti o incitamento all'odio e non pubblicheremo annunci subito prima o dopo quei post”, ha fatto sapere il team di Twitter Safety. Martedì 13 dicembre è stato arrestato alle Bahamas il fondatore di FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, la piattaforma di trading di criptovalute in bancarotta, dopo che i pubblici ministeri statunitensi hanno sporto denuncia penale. In un tweet, l’ufficio del procuratore degli Stati Uniti a Manhattan ha dichiarato che Bankman-Fried è stato arrestato “su richiesta del governo degli Stati Uniti, sulla base di un atto d’accusa sigillato”. Alcuni giorni prima del fallimento di Ftx, Ryan Salame, ex co-ceo di Ftx Digital Markets, aveva dichiarato alle autorità di regolamentazione delle Bahamas che i beni dei clienti erano stati trasferiti ad Alameda Research per “coprire le perdite finanziarie” della società di trading, come risulta dai documenti del tribunale. Salame ha affermato che solo tre persone potevano dare l’autorizzazione per tale trasferimento: Bankman-Fried, l’ex dirigente di ingegneria Nishad Singh e il cofondatore di Ftx Gary Wang, secondo i documenti del tribunale. Gli Stati Uniti dichiarano guerra a TikTok. Il senatore della Florida Marco Rubio ha proposto, insieme al deputato repubblicano Mike Gallagher e la democratica dell'Illinois Raja Krishnamoorthi, una legge bipartisan per impedire al social network cinese di operare negli Stati Uniti. Nelle ultime due settimane almeno sette stati Usa hanno dichiarato che impediranno ai dipendenti pubblici di utilizzare TikTok sui dispositivi governativi, tra cui Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah e Texas. Un altro stato, il Nebraska, aveva già bandito TikTok dai dispositivi in uso ai dipendenti statali nel 2020. Nel frattempo, il Senato americano ha approvato all'unanimità una legge che proibisce ai dipendenti federali di scaricare o usare l’app cinese su apparecchiature governative. Ora il provvedimento deve essere approvato dalla Camera e firmato dal presidente Usa. Microsoft ha raggiunto un accordo per acquistare il 4% del London Stock Exchange Group (Lsge) nell'ambito della partnership st
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Tuesday, November 15th, 2022. Just a heads up ladies and gentleman, I will be out of the country and into Canada with Gabe the Waterboy the 16th-21st, so we will only have a newsbrief today, and Wednesday morning, but not to worry, I’ll be back next week to bring you the news… Redballoon Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work https://thepostmillennial.com/maricopa-election-officials-launched-pac-in-2021-to-stop-maga-candidates?utm_campaign=64487 Maricopa election officials launched PAC in 2021 to stop MAGA candidates It has been revealed that embattled Arizona's Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer and Supervisor Chairman Bill Gates in 2021 started a political action committee to stop MAGA candidates. On November 17, 2021, Meg Cunningham from the Kansas City Beacon tweeted that Richer, "the Maricopa County recorder, is launching a PAC to support Rs running for non-federal AZ offices who 'acknowledge the validity of the 2020 election and condemn the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as a terrible result of the lies told about the November election.'" Richer retweeted her saying, "Thanks to a few generous donors this is now launching. Join me if you care about traditional Republican 'stuff' (free people, free markets, rule of law), but also don’t believe in conspiracies about the 2020 election or that Jan 6 was a tourist event." The PAC called Pro Democracy Republicans of Arizona claims on their website that they are "fighting to keep our democratic institutions alive." The website is sparse on details aside from how to donate but does have a few sentences on their mission. "The Arizona election wasn’t stolen. We Republicans simply had a presidential candidate who lost, while we had many other candidates who won. It’s time we Republicans accept and acknowledge that fact." "Candidates come and go. But our democratic institutions are long-lasting, and peaceful transitions of power are a hallmark of the United States. We should not abandon this history in favor of conspiracy theorists and demagoguery." "To that end, we are launching this PAC to support pro-democracy Arizona Republicans." Political pundits, candidates, and others have continued to slam Arizona’s Maricopa County Elections Department for ongoing failures in their election system. Almost a week after election day, the county, as well as the state, are some of the last to not have candidates declared as winners, as votes continue to be counted. As Secretary of State, gubernatorial Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs was in charge of overseeing the election after failing to recuse herself. https://twitter.com/i/status/1590526914019864577 - Play Video 0:00-2:12 On Wednesday night, Republican gubernatorial nominee and Trump-endorsed candidate Kari Lake called out her opponent and Maricopa County Richer as "incompetent." The results of Arizona's gubernatorial race between Hobbs and Lake are still pending as is the senatorial race between Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican challenger Blake Masters. https://www.theepochtimes.com/another-court-rules-against-biden-administrations-student-loan-forgiveness-program_4862341.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport Appeals Court Rules Against Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program A federal appeals court on Nov. 14 entered a ruling against the student loan forgiveness program announced by President Joe Biden’s administration earlier this year. Erasing student loan debt would be “irreversible,” a panel of the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ruled, entering an injunction against the administration pending an appeal. The panel consisted of U.S. Circuit Judges Bobby Shepherd, a George W. Bush appointee; Ralph Erickson, a Donald Trump appointee; and Steven Grasz, another Trump appointee. They sided with Missouri and five other Republican-led states that had sued Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona after the announcement of the program, alleging that it was illegal for the executive branch to enact such widespread loan relief. Biden administration officials have said that the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 grants the authority for the relief, which is expected to cost about $400 billion and apply to tens of millions of Americans. The appeals court ruling came after U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey, a George W. Bush appointee, rejected the states’ suit, finding that they lacked standing to sue on behalf of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA). The three appeals judges disagreed, finding that MOHELA is effectively an arm of the state of Missouri and even if it wasn’t, the financial effect of the administration’s debt discharge still threatens Missouri because it would affect the state’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Fund, a capital fund that can support projects at colleges. The fund receives money from MOHELA. The ruling follows a separate appeals court decision to temporarily block the program and U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump appointee, finding it unconstitutional and vacating it. After Pittman’s ruling, dated Nov. 8—the same day as the midterm elections—the administration stopped accepting applications for the program. Administration lawyers have already appealed that ruling and the government will hold onto information from the 26 million borrowers, including the 16 million who have already been approved for relief, “so it can quickly process their relief once we prevail in court,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2022/11/14/oregon-leftists-bragging-about-new-gun-control-law-n510693 Oregon leftists bragging about new gun control law The red wave in Oregon didn’t happen for the most part, though Republicans took a House seat here and there and performed well in the more rural, western part of the state as usual. The hype surrounding the possibility that Democrat Tina Kotek could be defeated, turning the Governor’s Mansion red, fizzled in the end. Another piece of bad news turned up in a ballot measure that didn’t draw all that much attention on the national level. Measure 114 passed on election day, ushering in a new round of gun control restrictions and requirements. NBC News launched into a celebration of this “victory” in which they bemoaned the rising number of deaths involving firearms in recent years while claiming (without evidence) that this new law in Oregon would do something about it. In this climate, voters in Oregon have fought back. Heading into the midterm elections, voters took it upon themselves to strengthen gun laws by proposing Measure 114, a ballot initiative that requires a background check, a license and safety training to buy firearms in the state. The measure also prohibits large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Oregon’s measure is particularly important because Congress, the courts and many state legislatures have done so little to contain the violence. Meanwhile, the number of gun deaths in the United States has skyrocketed — in fact, our analysis of the data shows that guns drove a recent spike in homicides and suicides… Given the Supreme Court’s expansion of Americans’ right to own guns, it can be frustrating to consider what preventive steps are possible. The Oregon referendum, however, is an example of how laws can prevent gun violence. Firearm purchaser licensing, as contained in the ballot measure, is one of the most effective policies at reducing gun deaths. First of all, there’s nothing really unique or groundbreaking about this measure when compared to similar proposals in other liberal states. They are requiring all purchasers of firearms to complete a background check (which everyone already had to do anyway) and complete mandatory gun safety training before being able to obtain a license to own a gun. It also limits the size of magazines to ten rounds of ammunition. What Measure 114 really does is make it more time-consuming, expensive, and laborious for lawful residents to legally obtain a firearm. NBC goes to great lengths to document how many gun-related deaths have been recorded in the country of late, concluding that Oregon’s law will impact those statistics in a positive way. As usual, what’s entirely missing in this liberal “analysis” is any sort of context or even a nod to the reality of gun crime in the United States. Yes, more people are getting shot. That’s only one facet of the rising violent crime rates we’ve been seeing, primarily in urban areas. And the NBC report conveniently ignores the fact that the vast, vast majority of the people being shot are the victims of criminals who could never pass a background check and get their guns on the black or gray markets. Also ignored in this report is the reality that lower-income minority citizens are disproportionately the victims of these gun crimes. And by making it harder for the law-abiding to obtain a firearm, you’re making it hard for them to defend themselves if such a thing happens to them. https://thepostmillennial.com/report-ftx-ceo-detained-by-authorities-in-bahamas?utm_campaign=64487 FTX CEO detained by authorities in Bahamas Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the collapsing cryptocurrency company FTX, along with two others associated with the company, director of engineering Nishad Singh and co-founder Gary Wang, are "under supervision" in the Bahamas after the trio reportedly were planning on fleeing to Dubai. According to Cointelegraph, "Right now three of them, Sam, Gary, and Nishad are under supervision in the Bahamas, which means it will be hard for them to leave." Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates that prior to February 24, 2022, had no extradition treaty with the United States. However, as of that date, the two countries signed a mutual legal assistance treaty which does permit extradition. The multi-billion dollar cryptocurrency company FTX, run by CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, the second biggest Democrat donor right after George Soros, collapsed last week as details emerged regarding their financial practices, which led to a run by customers on FTX. FTX did not have the funds to pay out. "FTX is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the management and handling of client funds. With this latest development, FTX has more questions to answer as scrutiny builds around the SEC investigation," Cryptoslate reported. Roughly $5 billion was withdrawn from FTX on Sunday. The trouble began for FTX last week when rival crypto company Binance said they were selling off their holdings of FTT, the proprietary coin of FTX. After Binance's comments, FTX was in financial trouble and essentially sought a bailout from other firms, Binance among them. The New York Post reports that FTX's implosion followed revelations "that co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried had been funneling money to a sister trading company run by his girlfriend." That company, Alameda Research, is run by Bankman-Fried's girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, and is also based in the Bahamas. Binance announced that they would buy the company, then pulled out of the deal, saying that after some due diligence, they decided it would not be a good investment. Part of the issue for Binance is that Alameda Research, helmed by Bankman-Fried's girlfriend, holds a great deal of their assets in FTT, and FTX had invested their customers' funds into Alameda through a "back door," without oversight. Details have emerged that FTX had partnered with Ukraine to process donations to their war efforts within days of Joe Biden pledging billions of American taxpayer dollars to the country. Story Real Estate: Home. It’s where you build your legacy. Where traditions are started, seeds are planted, meals are shared, and stories are told. Home is where you prepare to go out into the world. Finding the home that’s perfect for your family is a big job. Story Real Estate is Moscow’s top real estate team. They give people real estate advice all over the country. Family homes, investments, land, new construction, or commercial— they know real estate. If you’ve thought about a move to Moscow or anywhere in the country, reach out to get connected with a Story Real Estate agent. Wherever you’re going, they can help guide you Home. Visit storyrealestate.com. Now it;s time for my favorite topic… sports! This one hits close to home for our producer Neil, as this was his first ever favorite fighter when it came to MMA… https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/11/13/23456635/two-time-ufc-title-challenger-anthony-rumble-johnson-dead-at-38 Two-time UFC title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson dead at 38 Anthony Johnson, a Bellator fighter and two-time UFC title challenger, has died. He was 38 years old. MMA Fighting has confirmed the news with sources with knowledge of the situation, following an outpouring of messages on social media regarding Johnson’s death. The cause of death has yet to be announced. Johnson is best remembered for a pair of UFC stints from 2007-2012 and 2014-2017. His first run with the promotion saw him emerge as an intriguing welterweight prospect with unmatched knockout power, while his second run occurred as a light heavyweight. It was during Johnson’s second UFC run that he defeated the likes of Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader, Alexander Gustafsson, and Phil Davis, and earned two cracks at the light heavyweight championship. He announced his retirement after a 2017 title fight loss to Daniel Cormier, but returned to competition in 2021 and fought once for Bellator, defeating Jose Augusto by second-round knockout. In October 2021, Johnson was to fight Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov as part of a grand prix tournament, but was forced to withdraw from that contest due to an undisclosed illness. Johnson’s pro MMA record was 23-6 with 17 wins coming by way of KO/TKO.
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Tuesday, November 15th, 2022. Just a heads up ladies and gentleman, I will be out of the country and into Canada with Gabe the Waterboy the 16th-21st, so we will only have a newsbrief today, and Wednesday morning, but not to worry, I’ll be back next week to bring you the news… Redballoon Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work https://thepostmillennial.com/maricopa-election-officials-launched-pac-in-2021-to-stop-maga-candidates?utm_campaign=64487 Maricopa election officials launched PAC in 2021 to stop MAGA candidates It has been revealed that embattled Arizona's Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer and Supervisor Chairman Bill Gates in 2021 started a political action committee to stop MAGA candidates. On November 17, 2021, Meg Cunningham from the Kansas City Beacon tweeted that Richer, "the Maricopa County recorder, is launching a PAC to support Rs running for non-federal AZ offices who 'acknowledge the validity of the 2020 election and condemn the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as a terrible result of the lies told about the November election.'" Richer retweeted her saying, "Thanks to a few generous donors this is now launching. Join me if you care about traditional Republican 'stuff' (free people, free markets, rule of law), but also don’t believe in conspiracies about the 2020 election or that Jan 6 was a tourist event." The PAC called Pro Democracy Republicans of Arizona claims on their website that they are "fighting to keep our democratic institutions alive." The website is sparse on details aside from how to donate but does have a few sentences on their mission. "The Arizona election wasn’t stolen. We Republicans simply had a presidential candidate who lost, while we had many other candidates who won. It’s time we Republicans accept and acknowledge that fact." "Candidates come and go. But our democratic institutions are long-lasting, and peaceful transitions of power are a hallmark of the United States. We should not abandon this history in favor of conspiracy theorists and demagoguery." "To that end, we are launching this PAC to support pro-democracy Arizona Republicans." Political pundits, candidates, and others have continued to slam Arizona’s Maricopa County Elections Department for ongoing failures in their election system. Almost a week after election day, the county, as well as the state, are some of the last to not have candidates declared as winners, as votes continue to be counted. As Secretary of State, gubernatorial Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs was in charge of overseeing the election after failing to recuse herself. https://twitter.com/i/status/1590526914019864577 - Play Video 0:00-2:12 On Wednesday night, Republican gubernatorial nominee and Trump-endorsed candidate Kari Lake called out her opponent and Maricopa County Richer as "incompetent." The results of Arizona's gubernatorial race between Hobbs and Lake are still pending as is the senatorial race between Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican challenger Blake Masters. https://www.theepochtimes.com/another-court-rules-against-biden-administrations-student-loan-forgiveness-program_4862341.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport Appeals Court Rules Against Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program A federal appeals court on Nov. 14 entered a ruling against the student loan forgiveness program announced by President Joe Biden’s administration earlier this year. Erasing student loan debt would be “irreversible,” a panel of the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ruled, entering an injunction against the administration pending an appeal. The panel consisted of U.S. Circuit Judges Bobby Shepherd, a George W. Bush appointee; Ralph Erickson, a Donald Trump appointee; and Steven Grasz, another Trump appointee. They sided with Missouri and five other Republican-led states that had sued Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona after the announcement of the program, alleging that it was illegal for the executive branch to enact such widespread loan relief. Biden administration officials have said that the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 grants the authority for the relief, which is expected to cost about $400 billion and apply to tens of millions of Americans. The appeals court ruling came after U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey, a George W. Bush appointee, rejected the states’ suit, finding that they lacked standing to sue on behalf of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA). The three appeals judges disagreed, finding that MOHELA is effectively an arm of the state of Missouri and even if it wasn’t, the financial effect of the administration’s debt discharge still threatens Missouri because it would affect the state’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Fund, a capital fund that can support projects at colleges. The fund receives money from MOHELA. The ruling follows a separate appeals court decision to temporarily block the program and U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump appointee, finding it unconstitutional and vacating it. After Pittman’s ruling, dated Nov. 8—the same day as the midterm elections—the administration stopped accepting applications for the program. Administration lawyers have already appealed that ruling and the government will hold onto information from the 26 million borrowers, including the 16 million who have already been approved for relief, “so it can quickly process their relief once we prevail in court,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2022/11/14/oregon-leftists-bragging-about-new-gun-control-law-n510693 Oregon leftists bragging about new gun control law The red wave in Oregon didn’t happen for the most part, though Republicans took a House seat here and there and performed well in the more rural, western part of the state as usual. The hype surrounding the possibility that Democrat Tina Kotek could be defeated, turning the Governor’s Mansion red, fizzled in the end. Another piece of bad news turned up in a ballot measure that didn’t draw all that much attention on the national level. Measure 114 passed on election day, ushering in a new round of gun control restrictions and requirements. NBC News launched into a celebration of this “victory” in which they bemoaned the rising number of deaths involving firearms in recent years while claiming (without evidence) that this new law in Oregon would do something about it. In this climate, voters in Oregon have fought back. Heading into the midterm elections, voters took it upon themselves to strengthen gun laws by proposing Measure 114, a ballot initiative that requires a background check, a license and safety training to buy firearms in the state. The measure also prohibits large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Oregon’s measure is particularly important because Congress, the courts and many state legislatures have done so little to contain the violence. Meanwhile, the number of gun deaths in the United States has skyrocketed — in fact, our analysis of the data shows that guns drove a recent spike in homicides and suicides… Given the Supreme Court’s expansion of Americans’ right to own guns, it can be frustrating to consider what preventive steps are possible. The Oregon referendum, however, is an example of how laws can prevent gun violence. Firearm purchaser licensing, as contained in the ballot measure, is one of the most effective policies at reducing gun deaths. First of all, there’s nothing really unique or groundbreaking about this measure when compared to similar proposals in other liberal states. They are requiring all purchasers of firearms to complete a background check (which everyone already had to do anyway) and complete mandatory gun safety training before being able to obtain a license to own a gun. It also limits the size of magazines to ten rounds of ammunition. What Measure 114 really does is make it more time-consuming, expensive, and laborious for lawful residents to legally obtain a firearm. NBC goes to great lengths to document how many gun-related deaths have been recorded in the country of late, concluding that Oregon’s law will impact those statistics in a positive way. As usual, what’s entirely missing in this liberal “analysis” is any sort of context or even a nod to the reality of gun crime in the United States. Yes, more people are getting shot. That’s only one facet of the rising violent crime rates we’ve been seeing, primarily in urban areas. And the NBC report conveniently ignores the fact that the vast, vast majority of the people being shot are the victims of criminals who could never pass a background check and get their guns on the black or gray markets. Also ignored in this report is the reality that lower-income minority citizens are disproportionately the victims of these gun crimes. And by making it harder for the law-abiding to obtain a firearm, you’re making it hard for them to defend themselves if such a thing happens to them. https://thepostmillennial.com/report-ftx-ceo-detained-by-authorities-in-bahamas?utm_campaign=64487 FTX CEO detained by authorities in Bahamas Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the collapsing cryptocurrency company FTX, along with two others associated with the company, director of engineering Nishad Singh and co-founder Gary Wang, are "under supervision" in the Bahamas after the trio reportedly were planning on fleeing to Dubai. According to Cointelegraph, "Right now three of them, Sam, Gary, and Nishad are under supervision in the Bahamas, which means it will be hard for them to leave." Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates that prior to February 24, 2022, had no extradition treaty with the United States. However, as of that date, the two countries signed a mutual legal assistance treaty which does permit extradition. The multi-billion dollar cryptocurrency company FTX, run by CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, the second biggest Democrat donor right after George Soros, collapsed last week as details emerged regarding their financial practices, which led to a run by customers on FTX. FTX did not have the funds to pay out. "FTX is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the management and handling of client funds. With this latest development, FTX has more questions to answer as scrutiny builds around the SEC investigation," Cryptoslate reported. Roughly $5 billion was withdrawn from FTX on Sunday. The trouble began for FTX last week when rival crypto company Binance said they were selling off their holdings of FTT, the proprietary coin of FTX. After Binance's comments, FTX was in financial trouble and essentially sought a bailout from other firms, Binance among them. The New York Post reports that FTX's implosion followed revelations "that co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried had been funneling money to a sister trading company run by his girlfriend." That company, Alameda Research, is run by Bankman-Fried's girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, and is also based in the Bahamas. Binance announced that they would buy the company, then pulled out of the deal, saying that after some due diligence, they decided it would not be a good investment. Part of the issue for Binance is that Alameda Research, helmed by Bankman-Fried's girlfriend, holds a great deal of their assets in FTT, and FTX had invested their customers' funds into Alameda through a "back door," without oversight. Details have emerged that FTX had partnered with Ukraine to process donations to their war efforts within days of Joe Biden pledging billions of American taxpayer dollars to the country. Story Real Estate: Home. It’s where you build your legacy. Where traditions are started, seeds are planted, meals are shared, and stories are told. Home is where you prepare to go out into the world. Finding the home that’s perfect for your family is a big job. Story Real Estate is Moscow’s top real estate team. They give people real estate advice all over the country. Family homes, investments, land, new construction, or commercial— they know real estate. If you’ve thought about a move to Moscow or anywhere in the country, reach out to get connected with a Story Real Estate agent. Wherever you’re going, they can help guide you Home. Visit storyrealestate.com. Now it;s time for my favorite topic… sports! This one hits close to home for our producer Neil, as this was his first ever favorite fighter when it came to MMA… https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/11/13/23456635/two-time-ufc-title-challenger-anthony-rumble-johnson-dead-at-38 Two-time UFC title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson dead at 38 Anthony Johnson, a Bellator fighter and two-time UFC title challenger, has died. He was 38 years old. MMA Fighting has confirmed the news with sources with knowledge of the situation, following an outpouring of messages on social media regarding Johnson’s death. The cause of death has yet to be announced. Johnson is best remembered for a pair of UFC stints from 2007-2012 and 2014-2017. His first run with the promotion saw him emerge as an intriguing welterweight prospect with unmatched knockout power, while his second run occurred as a light heavyweight. It was during Johnson’s second UFC run that he defeated the likes of Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader, Alexander Gustafsson, and Phil Davis, and earned two cracks at the light heavyweight championship. He announced his retirement after a 2017 title fight loss to Daniel Cormier, but returned to competition in 2021 and fought once for Bellator, defeating Jose Augusto by second-round knockout. In October 2021, Johnson was to fight Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov as part of a grand prix tournament, but was forced to withdraw from that contest due to an undisclosed illness. Johnson’s pro MMA record was 23-6 with 17 wins coming by way of KO/TKO.
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: If FTX is liquidated, who ends up controlling Anthropic?, published by ofer on November 15, 2022 on The Effective Altruism Forum. [EDIT: The original title of this question was: "If FTX/Alameda currently control Anthropic, who will end up controlling it?". Based on the comments so far, it does not seem likely that FTX/Alameda currently control Anthropic.] If I understand correctly, FTX/Alameda have seemingly invested $500M in Anthropic, according to a Bloomberg article: FTX/Alameda were funneling customer money into effective altruism. Bankman-Fried seems to have generously funded a lot of effective altruism charities, artificial-intelligence and pandemic research, Democratic political candidates, etc. One $500 million entry on the desperation balance sheet is “Anthropic,” a venture investment in an AI safety company. [...] That seems consistent with the following excerpts from this page on Anthropic's website: Anthropic, an AI safety and research company, has raised $580 million in a Series B. The Series B follows the company raising $124 million in a Series A round in 2021. The Series B round was led by Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX. The round also included participation from Caroline Ellison, Jim McClave, Nishad Singh, Jaan Tallinn, and the Center for Emerging Risk Research (CERR). Is it likely that FTX/Alameda currently have >50% voting power over Anthropic? If they do, who will end up having control over Anthropic? Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org.
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Tuesday, November 15th, 2022. Just a heads up ladies and gentleman, I will be out of the country and into Canada with Gabe the Waterboy the 16th-21st, so we will only have a newsbrief today, and Wednesday morning, but not to worry, I’ll be back next week to bring you the news… Redballoon Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work https://thepostmillennial.com/maricopa-election-officials-launched-pac-in-2021-to-stop-maga-candidates?utm_campaign=64487 Maricopa election officials launched PAC in 2021 to stop MAGA candidates It has been revealed that embattled Arizona's Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer and Supervisor Chairman Bill Gates in 2021 started a political action committee to stop MAGA candidates. On November 17, 2021, Meg Cunningham from the Kansas City Beacon tweeted that Richer, "the Maricopa County recorder, is launching a PAC to support Rs running for non-federal AZ offices who 'acknowledge the validity of the 2020 election and condemn the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as a terrible result of the lies told about the November election.'" Richer retweeted her saying, "Thanks to a few generous donors this is now launching. Join me if you care about traditional Republican 'stuff' (free people, free markets, rule of law), but also don’t believe in conspiracies about the 2020 election or that Jan 6 was a tourist event." The PAC called Pro Democracy Republicans of Arizona claims on their website that they are "fighting to keep our democratic institutions alive." The website is sparse on details aside from how to donate but does have a few sentences on their mission. "The Arizona election wasn’t stolen. We Republicans simply had a presidential candidate who lost, while we had many other candidates who won. It’s time we Republicans accept and acknowledge that fact." "Candidates come and go. But our democratic institutions are long-lasting, and peaceful transitions of power are a hallmark of the United States. We should not abandon this history in favor of conspiracy theorists and demagoguery." "To that end, we are launching this PAC to support pro-democracy Arizona Republicans." Political pundits, candidates, and others have continued to slam Arizona’s Maricopa County Elections Department for ongoing failures in their election system. Almost a week after election day, the county, as well as the state, are some of the last to not have candidates declared as winners, as votes continue to be counted. As Secretary of State, gubernatorial Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs was in charge of overseeing the election after failing to recuse herself. https://twitter.com/i/status/1590526914019864577 - Play Video 0:00-2:12 On Wednesday night, Republican gubernatorial nominee and Trump-endorsed candidate Kari Lake called out her opponent and Maricopa County Richer as "incompetent." The results of Arizona's gubernatorial race between Hobbs and Lake are still pending as is the senatorial race between Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican challenger Blake Masters. https://www.theepochtimes.com/another-court-rules-against-biden-administrations-student-loan-forgiveness-program_4862341.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport Appeals Court Rules Against Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program A federal appeals court on Nov. 14 entered a ruling against the student loan forgiveness program announced by President Joe Biden’s administration earlier this year. Erasing student loan debt would be “irreversible,” a panel of the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ruled, entering an injunction against the administration pending an appeal. The panel consisted of U.S. Circuit Judges Bobby Shepherd, a George W. Bush appointee; Ralph Erickson, a Donald Trump appointee; and Steven Grasz, another Trump appointee. They sided with Missouri and five other Republican-led states that had sued Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona after the announcement of the program, alleging that it was illegal for the executive branch to enact such widespread loan relief. Biden administration officials have said that the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 grants the authority for the relief, which is expected to cost about $400 billion and apply to tens of millions of Americans. The appeals court ruling came after U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey, a George W. Bush appointee, rejected the states’ suit, finding that they lacked standing to sue on behalf of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA). The three appeals judges disagreed, finding that MOHELA is effectively an arm of the state of Missouri and even if it wasn’t, the financial effect of the administration’s debt discharge still threatens Missouri because it would affect the state’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Fund, a capital fund that can support projects at colleges. The fund receives money from MOHELA. The ruling follows a separate appeals court decision to temporarily block the program and U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump appointee, finding it unconstitutional and vacating it. After Pittman’s ruling, dated Nov. 8—the same day as the midterm elections—the administration stopped accepting applications for the program. Administration lawyers have already appealed that ruling and the government will hold onto information from the 26 million borrowers, including the 16 million who have already been approved for relief, “so it can quickly process their relief once we prevail in court,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2022/11/14/oregon-leftists-bragging-about-new-gun-control-law-n510693 Oregon leftists bragging about new gun control law The red wave in Oregon didn’t happen for the most part, though Republicans took a House seat here and there and performed well in the more rural, western part of the state as usual. The hype surrounding the possibility that Democrat Tina Kotek could be defeated, turning the Governor’s Mansion red, fizzled in the end. Another piece of bad news turned up in a ballot measure that didn’t draw all that much attention on the national level. Measure 114 passed on election day, ushering in a new round of gun control restrictions and requirements. NBC News launched into a celebration of this “victory” in which they bemoaned the rising number of deaths involving firearms in recent years while claiming (without evidence) that this new law in Oregon would do something about it. In this climate, voters in Oregon have fought back. Heading into the midterm elections, voters took it upon themselves to strengthen gun laws by proposing Measure 114, a ballot initiative that requires a background check, a license and safety training to buy firearms in the state. The measure also prohibits large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Oregon’s measure is particularly important because Congress, the courts and many state legislatures have done so little to contain the violence. Meanwhile, the number of gun deaths in the United States has skyrocketed — in fact, our analysis of the data shows that guns drove a recent spike in homicides and suicides… Given the Supreme Court’s expansion of Americans’ right to own guns, it can be frustrating to consider what preventive steps are possible. The Oregon referendum, however, is an example of how laws can prevent gun violence. Firearm purchaser licensing, as contained in the ballot measure, is one of the most effective policies at reducing gun deaths. First of all, there’s nothing really unique or groundbreaking about this measure when compared to similar proposals in other liberal states. They are requiring all purchasers of firearms to complete a background check (which everyone already had to do anyway) and complete mandatory gun safety training before being able to obtain a license to own a gun. It also limits the size of magazines to ten rounds of ammunition. What Measure 114 really does is make it more time-consuming, expensive, and laborious for lawful residents to legally obtain a firearm. NBC goes to great lengths to document how many gun-related deaths have been recorded in the country of late, concluding that Oregon’s law will impact those statistics in a positive way. As usual, what’s entirely missing in this liberal “analysis” is any sort of context or even a nod to the reality of gun crime in the United States. Yes, more people are getting shot. That’s only one facet of the rising violent crime rates we’ve been seeing, primarily in urban areas. And the NBC report conveniently ignores the fact that the vast, vast majority of the people being shot are the victims of criminals who could never pass a background check and get their guns on the black or gray markets. Also ignored in this report is the reality that lower-income minority citizens are disproportionately the victims of these gun crimes. And by making it harder for the law-abiding to obtain a firearm, you’re making it hard for them to defend themselves if such a thing happens to them. https://thepostmillennial.com/report-ftx-ceo-detained-by-authorities-in-bahamas?utm_campaign=64487 FTX CEO detained by authorities in Bahamas Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the collapsing cryptocurrency company FTX, along with two others associated with the company, director of engineering Nishad Singh and co-founder Gary Wang, are "under supervision" in the Bahamas after the trio reportedly were planning on fleeing to Dubai. According to Cointelegraph, "Right now three of them, Sam, Gary, and Nishad are under supervision in the Bahamas, which means it will be hard for them to leave." Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates that prior to February 24, 2022, had no extradition treaty with the United States. However, as of that date, the two countries signed a mutual legal assistance treaty which does permit extradition. The multi-billion dollar cryptocurrency company FTX, run by CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, the second biggest Democrat donor right after George Soros, collapsed last week as details emerged regarding their financial practices, which led to a run by customers on FTX. FTX did not have the funds to pay out. "FTX is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the management and handling of client funds. With this latest development, FTX has more questions to answer as scrutiny builds around the SEC investigation," Cryptoslate reported. Roughly $5 billion was withdrawn from FTX on Sunday. The trouble began for FTX last week when rival crypto company Binance said they were selling off their holdings of FTT, the proprietary coin of FTX. After Binance's comments, FTX was in financial trouble and essentially sought a bailout from other firms, Binance among them. The New York Post reports that FTX's implosion followed revelations "that co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried had been funneling money to a sister trading company run by his girlfriend." That company, Alameda Research, is run by Bankman-Fried's girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, and is also based in the Bahamas. Binance announced that they would buy the company, then pulled out of the deal, saying that after some due diligence, they decided it would not be a good investment. Part of the issue for Binance is that Alameda Research, helmed by Bankman-Fried's girlfriend, holds a great deal of their assets in FTT, and FTX had invested their customers' funds into Alameda through a "back door," without oversight. Details have emerged that FTX had partnered with Ukraine to process donations to their war efforts within days of Joe Biden pledging billions of American taxpayer dollars to the country. Story Real Estate: Home. It’s where you build your legacy. Where traditions are started, seeds are planted, meals are shared, and stories are told. Home is where you prepare to go out into the world. Finding the home that’s perfect for your family is a big job. Story Real Estate is Moscow’s top real estate team. They give people real estate advice all over the country. Family homes, investments, land, new construction, or commercial— they know real estate. If you’ve thought about a move to Moscow or anywhere in the country, reach out to get connected with a Story Real Estate agent. Wherever you’re going, they can help guide you Home. Visit storyrealestate.com. Now it;s time for my favorite topic… sports! This one hits close to home for our producer Neil, as this was his first ever favorite fighter when it came to MMA… https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/11/13/23456635/two-time-ufc-title-challenger-anthony-rumble-johnson-dead-at-38 Two-time UFC title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson dead at 38 Anthony Johnson, a Bellator fighter and two-time UFC title challenger, has died. He was 38 years old. MMA Fighting has confirmed the news with sources with knowledge of the situation, following an outpouring of messages on social media regarding Johnson’s death. The cause of death has yet to be announced. Johnson is best remembered for a pair of UFC stints from 2007-2012 and 2014-2017. His first run with the promotion saw him emerge as an intriguing welterweight prospect with unmatched knockout power, while his second run occurred as a light heavyweight. It was during Johnson’s second UFC run that he defeated the likes of Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader, Alexander Gustafsson, and Phil Davis, and earned two cracks at the light heavyweight championship. He announced his retirement after a 2017 title fight loss to Daniel Cormier, but returned to competition in 2021 and fought once for Bellator, defeating Jose Augusto by second-round knockout. In October 2021, Johnson was to fight Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov as part of a grand prix tournament, but was forced to withdraw from that contest due to an undisclosed illness. Johnson’s pro MMA record was 23-6 with 17 wins coming by way of KO/TKO.
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Announcing the Future Fund, published by Nick Beckstead on February 28, 2022 on The Effective Altruism Forum. We're thrilled to announce the FTX Foundation's Future Fund: a philanthropic fund making grants and investments to ambitious projects in order to improve humanity's long-term prospects. We plan to distribute at least $100M this year, and potentially a lot more, depending on how many outstanding opportunities we find. In principle, we'd be able to deploy up to $1B this year. We have a longlist of project ideas that we'd love to fund, but it's not exhaustive—we're open to a broad range of ideas. We're particularly keen to launch massively scalable projects: projects that could grow to productively spend tens or hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Our areas of interest include the safe development of artificial intelligence, reducing catastrophic biorisk, improving institutions, economic growth, great power relations, effective altruism, and more. If you'd like to launch one of our proposed projects, or have another idea for a project in our areas of interest—please apply! Please submit your applications by March 21 to be considered in our first open funding round. We can't wait to see your applications! Some further details: On the same apply page, you can also express interest in working with us, recommend a grant or investment to us, or recommend a prize for us to launch. We fund non-profits and for-profits alike, so long as they are aligned with our mission. We aim to respond quickly, ask for the information that is needed and no more, and keep you posted on when to expect a final decision. We are willing to make big bets, and we respect grantee autonomy. There is no limit on how much you can apply for. You can read about our principles and approach to funding on our website. In addition to our request for projects, today we're launching: Our Regranting Program. We're offering discretionary budgets to independent grantmakers. Our hope is that regrantors will fund great people and projects that weren't on our radar! We've already invited the first cohort, and we're also opening up a public process to be considered as a regrantor. Our Project Ideas Competition. We're announcing a prize for new project ideas to add to our website—submit your ideas by next Monday (March 7)! Our team is Nick Beckstead (CEO), Leopold Aschenbrenner, Will MacAskill, and Ketan Ramakrishnan. About the FTX Foundation The Future Fund is part of the FTX Foundation, a philanthropic foundation funded primarily by Sam Bankman-Fried. When Sam was 20 years old, he set out to to “earn to give”: make as much money as he could, in order to give away everything he earned to charity. He initially worked as a trader, then founded FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange. FTX Foundation is also funded by major contributions from Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, and Nishad Singh. Our 2022 plans For people who want to follow our work closely, here is some more on our initial focus and priorities. We are just getting started and we'd like to fund a lot of great projects quickly. So our primary goal for 2022 is to perform bold and decisive tests of highly scalable funding models. We think this is important for helping us make the most of our resources. The initial strategies we're testing are highly decentralized: The first strategy is to simply describe very clearly a broad range of projects we'd be excited to fund, and offer open applications for funding. We're hoping this generates many exciting proposals for us to fund. The second strategy we're testing is a regranting program. We hope this program will help us identify great grants that we would have missed, enable new people to launch exciting projects, and find and empower people who could be strong grantmakers. The third strategy we're considering is of...
The FTX Podcast - Builders and Innovators in the Cryptocurrency Industry
Nishad has been instrumental to the growth of FTX and is someone I greatly admire within the company. He has this special tenacity to him, that combined with his intelligence make him a contender for one of the most capable people I've met.