Since his imprisonment for fraud, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried spoke to the media for the first time, maintaining his innocence and pursuing an appeal. While in prison, Bankman-Fried has turned his attention to commodities trading, specifically focusing on bags of rice. During an interview at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, he discussed details about his life behind bars, including his vegan diet and reliance on beans and rice as a form of currency. Bankman-Fried currently resides in a dormitory-style area with 35 other male prisoners, half of whom are reportedly involved in murder cases. Despite his physical transformation and adaptation to prison life, Bankman-Fried claims that he has been unfairly blamed for the FTX collapse and believes a civil penalty would have been more appropriate.
Bankman-Fried’s interview revealed details about his adaptation to life in prison, including his unpopular vegan diet and reliance on beans and rice as a form of currency. Despite residing in a spacious dormitory-style area within the Metropolitan Detention Center, Bankman-Fried shares the space with 35 other male prisoners, some of whom are involved in murder cases. His physical appearance has changed, with reported weight loss and a less restless demeanor than before his imprisonment. Bankman-Fried has requested relocation to a facility closer to his parents, as he awaits the potentially lengthy transfer process.
During the interview, Bankman-Fried claimed that he has been unfairly blamed for the collapse of FTX, attributing the downfall to negligence and competitors’ actions. He expressed little remorse for his involvement in the misappropriation of $8 billion in customer funds and regrets not finding a different leader for Alameda Research to avoid conflicts of interest with his leadership of FTX. Bankman-Fried believes that a civil penalty, rather than a criminal one, would have been more appropriate given the circumstances surrounding the collapse of FTX.
Despite his challenges in prison, Bankman-Fried seems to be adapting to his new reality, focusing on commodities trading, specifically with bags of rice. He maintains his innocence and continues to pursue an appeal while awaiting potential relocation to a facility closer to his parents. Bankman-Fried’s interview sheds light on his life behind bars and his perspective on the FTX collapse, providing insights into his adaptation to prison life and his thoughts on the events that led to his imprisonment.
