According to biographer Michael Lewis, Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced former CEO of FTX, allegedly sought to pay former President Donald Trump $5 billion to refrain from running for president again. Lewis clarified that he was uncertain if Bankman-Fried had direct communication with Trump or his team. The $5 billion figure was mentioned during conversations between Lewis and Bankman-Fried, but it is unclear if it originated from Trump.
Bankman-Fried, who has been indicted for various alleged crimes related to the collapse of FTX, questioned the legality of paying a politician to withdraw from a race. However, the alleged transaction never took place as Bankman-Fried no longer had the funds.
Bankman-Fried, known as the second-largest Democrat donor during the 2022 congressional midterm elections, is facing charges including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His trial is set to begin on Tuesday. Bankman-Fried also reportedly paid Tom Brady $55 million for a week’s worth of work to represent FTX.
