According to Cointelegraph: FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), currently incarcerated, made his first in-person media statement proclaiming his innocence. Sharing an open dorm-style room with 35 other male inmates, SBF has become accustomed to prison life, despite the marked boredom and disrupted sleep.
Despite being locked away with minimal entertainment, SBF maintains resilience. His primary concern is restoring his reputation, as he feels wrongfully convicted, identifying himself as “the fall guy” for the collapse of FTX.
In November, SBF was found guilty of fraud and money laundering, a conviction he is vigorously appealing. Regular consultations with his lawyer, accompanied by approved medication, keeps him mentally sharp and focused on his appeal.
SBF posits that his only mistake was negligence, leaving FTX susceptible to a bank run and actions of competitors. He contends that the repercussion should have been civil, not criminal.
Dismissed from heading FTX, SBF believes that if he had maintained control, FTX wouldn't have spiraled into bankruptcy but would instead be a thriving company valued at $80 billion. He regrets entrusting leadership of Alameda to his ex-girlfriend Caroline Ellison, against his lawyers' advice.
While gearing up to file his appeal in July, SBF has requested to stay at the MDC. However, he might be relocated closer to his parents in California, which might entail a potential 4-month journey across the United States in a prison bus.
