New findings about Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the disgraced founder and former CEO of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, are washing ashore as his trial fast approaches. This time, it has been disclosed that he considered paying former U.S. president Donald Trump not to re-run for presidency.
In an interview with CBS News 60 Minutes, Michael Lewis, the author of “Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon,” a new book documenting SBF’s crypto journey, said the FTX founder contemplated paying Trump $5 billion to abstain from running for the presidency because he believed the politician was a threat to democracy.
SBF Mulled Paying Trump Not to Run for President
Lewis disclosed that SBF wanted to help Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate Republican leader, fund Republican candidates who were at odds with Trump. The plan was to donate millions of dollars to select politicians McConnell deemed fit to govern the U.S.
Following a certain dinner meeting with McConnell, SBF gave tens of millions to support Republican candidates, most of whom the current FTX management is trying to claw back the funds from. The former CEO also had plans to donate more during the upcoming 2024 U.S. elections.
SBF believes that Trump belongs on the list of existential risks that will undermine democracy, and he deserves to be stopped, so he thought about paying Trump not to run and asked how much it could take. Lewis noted that SBF was not sure that the $5 billion that came as an answer to his inquiries came directly from Trump or that his proposed strategy was legal.
However, SBF could not pull through with the plan as FTX imploded and went bankrupt while the conversations were ongoing.
SBF Ordered Not to Blame FTX Counsel
The latest disclosure comes as SBF prepares for trial from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His proceedings will commence on October 3 with jury selection, while the trial kicks off on October 4.
In a recent turn of events, Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered the former CEO and alleged fraudster to desist from blaming FTX’s counsel for the misconduct that led to the firm’s collapse to avoid confusing the jury.
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