Throughout his look on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) shared that he doesn’t view himself as a felony and expressed optimism about the way forward for crypto below President Donald Trump’s administration, amongst different subjects.
Through the interview, SBF known as his jail life a “dystopian” expertise, revealed that the rapper Sean “P. Diddy” Combs had been “variety” to him and likewise shared particulars about his time behind bars.
Journalist and present host Tucker Carlson questioned SBF about whether or not he was the most important felony within the crypto enterprise.
In response, SBF stated:
“I don’t assume I used to be a felony. Actually, the reply to that’s no. I imply, I feel the DOJ [US Department of Justice] thinks that I’ll have been, however I don’t share their viewpoint.”
Political affect and Gensler
SBF was additionally questioned about why he thinks the Democratic social gathering refused to assist him to keep away from jail regardless of his donations. Throughout his trial in October 2023, proof revealed that SBF donated as much as $119 million to politicians within the 2022 election cycle.
He replied:
“By late 2022, I used to be giving Republicans privately as a lot as Democrats, and that began changing into identified proper round FTX’s collapse. So, I in all probability performed a task.”
SBF added that he contacted Democratic politicians however didn’t ask for favors, as most of them made their positions identified and stayed away from him “as shortly as attainable.” Nevertheless, he added that he “heard individuals saying third-hand good issues” about him.
SBF additionally commented on former SEC chair Gary Gensler and stated his method to crypto regulation was like “one thing out of a nightmare.” He additional shared that he had suspicions that Gensler had political aspirations, which might have motivated him to take a strict stance towards crypto and be acknowledged by it.
Former associates
SBF instructed Carlson that only some of his former associates stayed with him after the scandal kicked off. Nevertheless, he added that looking back, it is smart that most individuals deserted him contemplating the strain they have been below amid the high-profile collapse of FTX.
SBF stated:
“Anybody who was near me ended with a gun of their head. You already know, being instructed that they had two choices, and one in every of them concerned many years in jail. I feel Ryan Salame is the saddest instance of that.”
SBF stated Salame was charged with “completely bogus crimes” and that prosecutors threatened to cost his pregnant spouse. Salame, who was FTX co-CEO, was convicted to 90 months in jail by the DOJ on Could 28, 2024, after pleading responsible to seven fraud and conspiracy counts.
Nevertheless, he contested the responsible plea, saying that he agreed to plead responsible as a result of prosecutors promised to drop investigations into his spouse, Michelle Bond. Finally, Salame withdrew his contestation.
Optimism below Trump
SBF additionally commented on the enhancing regulatory panorama below President Donald Trump’s administration.
He famous that the Trump administration is saying “lots of good issues” in regards to the crypto trade that differ from former President Joe Biden’s stance and expressed optimism about its future within the US.
He added:
“Clearly, it’s the follow-through that issues and that’s the state we’re in proper now, which is ‘what’s going to come of this?’ […] So, I feel the large query is: when the rubber meets the street, will the administration do what must be carried out and work out the best way to do it?”