FTX Founder Faces 115 Years in Jail

Sam Bankman-Fried and his company FTX were once the stars of the crypto space but all was not as it seemed. After his fraud was uncovered, he was held up as everything wrong with the financial world. 

We examine the trial of SBF, where the money went and how his ex-girlfriend Caroline Ellison told all.

The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Guilty On All Counts

A jury convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried of stealing billions of dollars from customers and lenders, in what prosecutors called one of the biggest financial frauds in U.S. history. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff were inside the courtroom for the verdict.

Listen HERE.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried - Guilty!

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s spectacular rise and fall in the cryptocurrency industry — a journey that included his testimony before Congress, a Super Bowl advertisement and dreams of a future run for president — hit rock bottom Thursday when a New York jury convicted him of fraud for stealing at least $10 billion from customer and investors.

Read about it HERE.

The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Closing Arguments

Both the prosecution and the defense make their final pitches to the jury as FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial comes to a close. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff unpack closing arguments and look ahead to the trial’s conclusion.

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The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: The Government Grills SBF

Prosecutors have started to cross examine Sam Bankman-Fried on the witness stand. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff explore the competing narratives being painted by the government and the defense.

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The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Things Sam Is Testifying About

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.

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The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Bankman-Fried Testifies

After a short break, court is back in session as Sam Bankman-Fried takes the stand to testify in his defense. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff were inside the courtroom to hear some of Bankman-Fried’s side of the story and how the prosecution worked to pick it apart.

Get the full story HERE.

FTX’s collapse - the emotional toll

"After several weeks of powerful testimonies for the prosecution in the FTX trial in New York, you might have thought the strongest ones had come and gone. Not so: this week Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at the now-collapsed exchange, took the stand and delivered more blows to Bankman-Fried. 

 Like many senior FTX people, he had connections to SBF that go back long before they became famous, then infamous. He was the best friend of Bankman-Fried’s younger brother at high school and shared SBF’s interest in effective altruism. And in common with Gary Wang and Caroline Ellison, also part of Bankman-Fried’s inner circle, Singh said he committed financial crimes and did so in concert with Bankman-Fried.  

 But Singh’s testimony also stands apart from that which came before him by offering a window into the emotional toll this alleged fraud had on Bankman-Fried’s associates."

Read the full story HERE.

The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Where Did The Money Go?

Over the course of Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial, the jury has seen evidence and heard testimony about the money circulating through FTX and Alameda. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff break down the prosecution’s case, and trace where the government says the money was coming from and where it went.

Listen HERE.

The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Nishad Singh Speaks Up

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.

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The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Cross Examining Caroline Ellison

Caroline Ellison took the stand for a third day as attorneys for Sam Bankman-Fried questioned her about her role in the collapse of FTX and Alameda Research. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff caught up with WSJ’s James Fanelli after court to unpack the defense’s strategy.

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The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Caroline Ellison Back on the Stand

Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda, took the stand for a second day Wednesday. Producer Rachel Humphreys and WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff discuss Ellison’s testimony and what it revealed about alleged bribes to Chinese officials, misleading statements to investors, and the final days of FTX.

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The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Caroline Ellison Speaks

Caroline Ellison met Sam Bankman-Fried trading at Jane Street. The two would go on to have a close professional and personal relationship as his crypto empire grew and then eventually imploded. Now, she has pleaded guilty and is testifying against him. Producer Rachel Humphreys and WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff discuss her testimony and how the government is using it to build their case against Bankman-Fried.

Listen HERE - The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Caroline Ellison Speaks

The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: The First Key Witness

Gary Wang, FTX’s former chief technology officer, took the stand in the government’s case against Sam Bankman-Fried. Producer Rachel Humphreys and WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff discuss what Wang says he knows about the secret code that allowed Alameda Research to borrow billions of dollars of customer money from FTX.

Listen HERE - The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: The First Key Witness

The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Opening Arguments

With a jury selected, lawyers from the prosecution and defense make their opening statements. Rachel Humphreys and WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff get their first clues into some of the strategies that will unfold throughout the trial.

Listen HERE - The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy: Opening Arguments