Tired of ads? Enjoy an ad-free experience by signing up.
Shihan Fang · · 8 min read

SBF out in the cold as FTX inner circle folds

Welcome to Token Issue! Delivered every Friday, this free newsletter breaks down the biggest stories in Asia’s crypto scene and beyond. Sign up here to receive future newsletters.

Hi there,

Former FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) launched a newsletter on Thursday and in it, he categorically denies that he stole funds or stashed billions away.

But suffice to say, trolls on Twitter still aren’t convinced of his innocence and are working hard to tear him apart.

A recent profile on Puck provides some insight into his psyche.

SBF is now holed up in his parents’ home in Palo Alto, protected by a German shepherd and two security guards working 24/7 to keep the fallen crypto king alive. It’s not paranoia – SBF recalled that there was one citizen vigilante who was stopped by his guards. It’s also an incredibly lonely and emotionally trying time for him as he awaits trial in October.

If convicted for the eight criminal charges that he is facing, SBF could serve up to 115 years in prison.

“For a number of years, I was incredibly lucky and fortunate in terms of a lot of the relationships and support that I had,” he said to Puck. “Now there’s basically nothing left.”

SBF hasn’t spoken to members of his inner circle since FTX blew up in mid-November 2022. For good reason – they’ve all been cooperating with the authorities to throw him under the bus, entering into various agreements to make the best out of the situation.

The latest to fold is FTX’s former head of engineering, Nishad Singh, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing but is looking to cut a plea agreement in exchange for information on FTX’s and SBF’s political donations. He’ll likely need to provide further detail on the US$543 million worth of loans that he received from Alameda Research.

Singh adds to the growing list of key SBF confidantes that have buckled. Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and ex-FTX CTO Gary Wang pled guilty last year, while former FTX head of compliance Daniel Friedberg is also expected to testify as a government witness in SBF’s October trial. Friedberg has not been charged or told that he is under criminal investigation.


THE BIG STORY


⭐ TO THE STARS


🌙 TO THE MOON


🌏 BACK TO EARTH


STILL A PONZI SCHEME


MORE TO CHEW ON


Stay ahead in Asia’s tech landscape

You've reached your 2 free content limit for the month. Sign up for free to read the full story.

🏄 For casual readers / 👶 Free

Basic

US$0

Free forever

Get instant access to this article and more every month

0 premium content

Unlimited news briefs

5

5 articles

Ad-free reading experience

Just US$0 per day

⌛Sign up in 20s. No payment details needed.

📖 For learners / 👍 Starter

Lite

US$4.92/month

Billed annually at US$59/year

Get instant access to this article and more every month

4

4 premium content

Unlimited news briefs & articles

Ad-free reading experience

Just US$0.17 per day

Cancel anytime

Our subscriber community includes professionals from these companies:

Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.

Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.

TIA Writer

Shihan Fang

Shihan is a freelance crypto journalist focusing on infrastructure and upstream Web3 trends. She's not too fond of apes, but will take an Auntie NFT.