The rise and fall of FTX and SBF: The ‘crypto king’ is facing 110 years in prison

I’m sure you’ve seen the headline — 110 years. That’s how much time fallen crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried could spend in prison. After a month-long trial, the FTX founder was just found guilty of seven counts, all revolving around $8 billion the crypto exchange stole from users.

Flashback to 2021, and SBF’s company was trading $20 billion in crypto daily, naming stadiums, buying mansions in the Bahamas and taking out Super Bowl commercials. What went wrong? Short answer: Everything

Now, he’s in the same conversation as Bernie Madoff. This is so fascinating that I wanted to take you down the winding road of the biggest crypto mess we’ve seen yet. 

“Kim, I don’t know anything about crypto”

That’s OK. The big question the jury had to decide on was simple — no knowledge of blockchain, wallets or keys required. Did SBF, now 31, intentionally trick customers and use all the money they invested as his own? The answer (which you know will be challenged in an appeal) is yes.

$26.5 billion

That’s how much SBF was worth when his crypto trading platform peaked. I bet even before the trial, you saw him — a guy with a big mop of curly hair who wore sneakers and a sloppy suit to testify before Congress.

The MIT graduate co-founded FTX (short for Futures Exchange) in 2019. By July 2021, it had an $18 billion valuation and investments from Softbank, Sequoia Capital and other big hitters. It only grew from there.

Remember the Super Bowl commercials with Larry David? That was FTX. (His parents are apparently huge fans.) The company was shelling out money in the Bahamas, too, where it set up its official headquarters.

SBF bought a $35 million penthouse he shared with nine people. All told, FTX spent $256.3 million to buy and maintain 35 different properties.

Spoiler: It didn’t end well

While FTX was raking in money, it was cozying up to trading firm Alameda Research. SBF had an on-again, off-again thing with the CEO, Caroline Ellison. Seriously, this thing is like a soap opera.

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Add a little ambiance to your home with these 13 upgrades

When you look around your home, does it make you feel relaxed? Comfortable? Maybe you’ve finally reached a point where you’re living in the lap of luxury.

No? Well, saddle up because all it takes is a new set of curtains here and an area rug there to make your home look radiant.

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$2.4 to $15 million

Cost for your very own apartment on a luxury yacht that travels the world. Luxury liner “The World” will never call itself a cruise ship, trust me. It’s made up of 165 privately owned apartments, ranging in size from 290-square-foot studios to a 3,240-square-foot four-bedroom pad. Would you live on this?

I had a personal demo of LG's $100K TV – Here's why I think it's actually worth the money

A true once-in-a-blue-moon technological gem hit the scene at CES back in 2018: a prototype TV from LG with a screen that could roll out of a floor cabinet like a piece of paper.

Three and a half years later, this 65-inch rollable TV isn’t a prototype anymore, and you can order your own LG Signature OLED R right now. The focus has shifted from the marvel of a new type of technology, though, and now all anyone is talking about is its $100,000 price tag.

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Vets eligible to get internet for $10/month and cheap laptop or PC

Are you a veteran or know someone who is? For all the years of service to our country, businesses are always finding new ways to say thank you. Recently, one internet service provider has made it easy for veterans to sign up for the internet without breaking the bank.

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7 best beaches of the world

For a relaxing vacation, it’s hard to beat a sunny destination. What’s better than sipping your favorite beverage while catching some rays? The sand, the sun and the clear blue ocean with a nice warm breeze, it’s simply paradise! But how do you know which beaches are duds, and which are worth visiting? I’ve rounded up seven of my absolute favorites!

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