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Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the founder of FTX Exchange, has recently become the center of attention, as he was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a US federal district court on March 28 on charges including wire fraud, with over $11 billion in assets seized. The judge also suggested that SBF be placed in a prison near the San Francisco Bay Area.
Shortly after his sentencing, SBF granted his first interview to ABC News. From the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, he responded to reporters' questions via email. He said, "I never thought what I was doing was illegal, but I was trying to hold myself to a high standard, and of course, I didn't meet that standard." When Judge Lewis Kaplan delivered the verdict, he harshly criticized the defendant for not showing any remorse for the terrible crimes committed. However, SBF expressed regret, saying, "I hear and see the despair, frustration, and sense of betrayal from thousands of customers who deserve to be fully compensated."
SBF also added that he feels the pain of his colleagues because he squandered everything they had. He also feels the pain of the charities he supported, as his sponsorship has damaged their reputation instead. As for the plan to appeal, SBF stated that his defense team plans to appeal later this year, citing that certain trial testimony "seriously misrepresented what actually happened," and his defense team was "not allowed to present key evidence or provide important witnesses." All of this underscores the complexity of the case and the challenges ahead for SBF. |
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