TL;DR
- Sam Bankman-Fried claims that FTX had enough funds to pay all customers and that its bankruptcy was a mistake driven by external factors.
- According to SBF, FTX could have been worth $93 billion if it had continued operating instead of being taken over.
- In his prison interview with Tucker Carlson, he criticized regulators, defended the potential of cryptocurrencies, and downplayed the alleged prevalence of fraud in the industry.
From his prison cell, Sam Bankman-Fried once again defended his management of FTX in an interview with Tucker Carlson, claiming that the company had sufficient resources to pay all customers and that its bankruptcy was a misguided decision. According to SBF, if he had been allowed to continue operating, FTX could have reached a valuation of $93 billion, far exceeding the $15 billion in liabilities it had at the time of its collapse.
Bankman-Fried insisted that FTX’s downfall was not a case of deliberate fraud but rather a combination of poor liquidity management, hasty decisions, and external pressure from regulators and the media.
“The problem was the narrative built around the company,”
he said, suggesting that fear and uncertainty led to a crisis of confidence that accelerated its downfall.
“Crypto Is Still the Future of Finance”
Despite his legal troubles, Bankman-Fried remains a staunch advocate for cryptocurrencies. In the interview, he downplayed the impact of fraud in the industry and compared the current situation to the early days of Bitcoin when platforms like Silk Road dominated the public narrative.
“The crypto ecosystem has matured, and while there are challenges, innovation continues to move forward.”
He also addressed regulation, arguing that control attempts by entities like the SEC have stifled the industry’s growth in the U.S. and pushed companies and developers to more crypto-friendly jurisdictions.
“FTX could have been a key player in the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies, but they took us down too soon.”
Seeking Redemption While Appealing His Conviction
Although Bankman-Fried faces a 25-year prison sentence for fraud and money laundering, he continues to insist on his innocence. He claims that his conviction was driven more by political and media narratives than by solid evidence. According to him, his donations to both Democratic and Republican politicians may have played a role in his downfall.
While his legal team works on an appeal, the former FTX CEO is trying to rebuild his image from behind bars.
“There’s still time to set the record straight and for people to see what really happened,”
he declared. However, his stance has failed to convince many of those affected by FTX’s collapse, who are still waiting for answers and reimbursements.
