Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of FTX, recently sat down with Tucker Carlson for his first video interview from prison , continuing to defend his actions and beliefs. Bankman-Fried, who has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, reflected on the collapse of FTX and its subsequent bankruptcy, claiming that the exchange would still have thrived had it not been for outside interference. According to him, FTX would currently hold $93 billion in assets , a stark contrast to its liabilities of $15 billion . He maintained that the bankruptcy decision was a mistake, arguing that the company had enough resources to repay its creditors and investors, and that the collapse was a result of external forces and mismanagement. Despite being incarcerated, Bankman-Fried’s views on the crypto industry remain largely unchanged since FTX’s downfall in 2022. He downplayed the significance of crypto crime growth, stating that the size of scams today was smaller compared to the early days of crypto, referencing the Silk Road as a comparison. When Carlson asked about his financial standing, Bankman-Fried acknowledged he had no liquid assets, but still maintained that had things unfolded differently, FTX would have remained a strong and profitable entity. Although Bankman-Fried didn’t mention his previous calls for a pardon, he did discuss his political journey, expressing disillusionment with the Democratic Party. He mentioned that by 2022, he had been privately donating to Republicans as much as to Democrats, which he speculated may have influenced his situation. Despite his beliefs, he did not shy away from discussing his extensive political contributions, particularly to Biden’s campaign in 2020, and the impact it had on his downfall in 2022. The conversation with Carlson wasn’t entirely focused on his legal woes; they also discussed lighter topics, including his prison experience. Bankman-Fried joked about using muffins as "prison money" and mentioned his upcoming birthday in prison. He even made some comments about celebrities incarcerated alongside him. As for the future, Bankman-Fried is still trying to appeal his conviction, but he admitted that his chances of success are slim. Throughout the interview, he remained steadfast in his belief that FTX’s demise wasn’t solely his fault and that, with proper handling, the company could have thrived. However, it's crucial to remember his biased perspective , given that he is removed from the situation and still faces criminal charges. While Bankman-Fried continues to criticize the crypto industry’s criminal activities, he downplays their growing scale, comparing them to earlier days when the Silk Road dominated crypto crime. As the crypto space faces new challenges, Bankman-Fried’s views provide a glimpse into his mindset, one that still sees FTX’s collapse as the result of unforeseen circumstances rather than his own fraudulent actions.
