The highly controversial interview with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has not gone down well with the crypto community.
On Nov. 30, Sam Bankman-Fried sat with Andrew Ross Sorkin at The New York Times annual DealBook summit.
“I didn’t ever try to commit fraud on anyone, I was shocked by what happened this month,” was one of the comments that have the crypto community so riled.
He has since been lambasted by those close to the crypto industry who are incensed by what he had to say. On Dec. 1, Gyft and Civic co-founder Vinny Lingham commented:
“The SBF legal strategy is to attempt to characterize fraud as incompetence, in order to stay out of jail.”
Other reactions were equally as vociferous such as Carl Menger’s tweet:
“SBF should be sitting in a jail right now, but instead he is giving an interview on the New York Times Dealbook summit. WTF is happening?”
SBF Roasting Continues
Crypto and blockchain lawyer Jake Chervinsky advised former Alameda executives to contact the Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz said he would appear on CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss the interview.
Reflexivity Research cofounder Will Clemente said the interview was painful to watch, adding:
“SBF is clearly talking straight out of his ass. Can’t give a straight answer or even look at the camera. He’s just digging himself a deeper hole and I’m here for it.”
TV personality Kevin O’Leary and hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman came out in defense of SBF and got lambasted for it. Cinneamhain Ventures partner Adam Cochran called the shots:
“The only people who are praising SBF these days, are those with greedy hunger in their eyes hoping they can latch on for his next big grift.”
Furthermore, SBF, who told staff that FTX could be saved, replied to Ackman, but Cochran was quick to retort:
“You knowingly stole user funds, lent them to a hedge fund that you own the majority of, lied to people about it, gave yourself massive loans and have been more focused on your media appearances than anything else. That’s not a f*ck up. You’ve hurt people beyond repair. So stfu.”
Mainstream Media Pandering
Crypto analyst Miles Deutscher added that mainstream media was quick to side with SBF. The New York Times, which itself has been lambasted for writing ‘puff pieces,’ conducted the interview. However, it did not mention any wrongdoing by SBF.
Tony Battista, the host of the Options Trades Today podcast, wrote, “SBF Allegedly one of the brightest people in the world,” before adding, “His defense? I didn’t understand the risk.”
The responses were too numerous to list in full, but it is clear that SBF has become public enemy number one in the world of crypto.
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