Prosecutors are asking the judge to sentence Sam Bankman-Fried to 40-50 years in prison for the FTX scam.
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, could face 40 to 50 years in prison, according to federal prosecutors. The charges come after Bankman-Fried was found guilty of stealing $8 billion from clients.
“His life in recent years has been one of unparalleled greed and arrogance; ambition and rationalization; risk-taking and repeated gambling with other people's money,” prosecutors said in a statement. “Even now, Bankman-Fried refuses to admit that what he did was wrong.”
A jury in November found Bankman-Fried guilty of seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. Despite the severity of the charges, the former billionaire's lawyers argue that a prison sentence of 5.5 to 6.5 years would be more appropriate.
They claim that most of the stolen funds would be returned to FTX customers and that Bankman-Fried did not set out to steal. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan is scheduled to sentence Bankman-Fried in Manhattan federal court on March 28. Bankman-Fried plans to appeal both her conviction and sentence.
*This is not investment advice.