The disgraced crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried cut an extremely sorry figure as he begins serving his decades-long prison sentence for fraud.
A photo of a disheveled Bankman-Fried, who has yet to be formally sentenced for his crimes, was posted online by the crypto influencer Tiffany Fong.
Font confirmed she obtained the photo by connecting herself with one of Bankman-Fried’s fellow inmates by the name of G Lock.
First photo of Sam Bankman-Fried in jail at MDC Brooklyn. (December 17, 2023) pic.twitter.com/QlENjjmeQG
— Tiffany Fong (@TiffanyFong_) February 20, 2024
“According to G Lock, these photos were taken on December 17, 2023, because apparently inmates are only allowed to take photos on Christmas and Father’s Day,” Fong said in a video post on X.
She continued:
As you can see he’s hanging out with other inmates and he looks a little bit out of place. He’s obviously lost some weight, and I’ve heard that he’s not showering very much. He’s not as clean-shaven as he used to be. But he’s obviously going through a lot right now.
In a short video with G Lock, Bankman-Fried’s fellow inmate says that Sam is a “gangster” because he has so far refused to snitch on anyone, a habit that will inevitably make one incredibly unpopular within the prison walls.
“He’s actually a good guy, I like him,” G Lock admits. “He’s weird as sh*t, he’s really strange, but he is a good guy.”
First photo of Sam Bankman-Fried in jail at MDC Brooklyn. (December 17, 2023) pic.twitter.com/QlENjjmeQG
— Tiffany Fong (@TiffanyFong_) February 20, 2024
Bankman-Fried has been held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center since August. Having initially been put under house arrest, he was later remanded to custody by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan over concerns that he had attempted to “tamper with witnesses.”
*Almost* feel sorry for the guy. https://t.co/RpvbdBVBa5
— Ben Kew (@ben_kew) February 20, 2024
Following the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX and a lengthy trial, Bankman-Fried was convicted on a litany of charges after customers and investors lost billions in savings. The case against him included allegations of stealing customer deposits to support his hedge fund, making illegal political donations, and financing a lavish lifestyle.
US prosecutors said they do not plan to conduct a second trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, who was convicted last month of stealing from customers of his now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange https://t.co/Qm45XBquRR pic.twitter.com/8FZcG0cJg2
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 30, 2023
Among the charges Bankman-Fried was convicted of are wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is facing up to 110 years in prison, although his eventual sentence is expected to be far more lenient.
“Sam Bankman-Fried thought that he was above the law,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said at the time. “This case should send a clear message to anyone who tries to hide their crimes behind a shiny new thing they claim no one else is smart enough to understand: the Justice Department will hold you accountable.”
Fortunately for Bankman-Fried, prosecutors have since confirmed that he will not face any further trials related to his illegal activities. He is scheduled for sentencing next month.
