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Sam Bankman-Fried
Founder of FTX; convicted of fraud in 2023, conviction affirmed on appeal June 2026
Founder of the FTX crypto exchange and Alameda Research, and a prominent donor to effective-altruism and AI-safety causes, including Anthropic, through the FTX Future Fund. Convicted in November 2023 of fraud and conspiracy after FTX's collapse and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed his conviction and sentence on June 12, 2026. He has since sought a presidential pardon; the U.S. Senate passed a resolution on July 15, 2026 stating he should not receive clemency. His case is often cited in debates about effective altruism's influence on AI safety funding.
Key arguments & positions
- Publicly described himself as an effective altruist pursuing "earning to give," and funded pandemic and AI-risk work, including Anthropic, through the FTX Future Fund and Alameda Research.
Accomplishments
- Founded Alameda Research (2017) and the FTX exchange (2019), which collapsed in November 2022.
- Convicted in November 2023 on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy; sentenced in March 2024 to 25 years in prison.
- The Second Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed his conviction and sentence on June 12, 2026, rejecting his argument that Alameda's investments, including in Anthropic, meant customers were never at risk.
- Filed an application for a presidential pardon with the Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney, reported in June 2026; the Senate passed a resolution by unanimous consent on July 15, 2026 stating he should not receive clemency.
Papers & key writings
No research writing; the court record and reporting on FTX are the main primary sources.
Links
In the library
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Why this: Also about effective altruism
Effective Altruism Is a Dangerous Cult — Here's Why
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Why this: Also about effective altruism
AI Is Entering Its 'Slurp Juice' Era
Gizmodo article by Webb Wright (October 7, 2026) comparing the current AI boom with the 2021–2022 NFT and crypto hype cycle, including celebrity promotion and companies appointing metaverse executives.
Why this: Also about crypto