Sam Bankman-Fried’s Offer to Donald Trump: $5 Billion to Stay Out of the Presidential Race
In a surprising revelation, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried once considered offering Donald Trump a staggering $5 billion to refrain from running for president of the United States. This information was unveiled by Michael Lewis, the eminent author of the upcoming book, Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, which tells the story of SBF.
Michael Lewis’s Insights on Bankman-Fried’s Ambitions
In a comprehensive interview on the program 60 Minutes, Lewis delved into various aspects of his book, shedding light on intriguing episodes from the cryptocurrency mogul’s life. The monetary incentive proposed to Trump was highlighted, with Lewis remarking, “It only shocks you if you don’t know Sam.” Lewis elaborated on SBF’s logic, portraying a man willing to consider unconventional methods for navigating political landscapes, asking, “Sam thought we could pay Donald Trump not to run for president […] how much would it take?”
Although the exact origin of the $5 billion figure remains uncertain, with some speculating it may have been a direct demand from Trump, the central idea was hindered by FTX’s financial turbulence, making this significant sum inaccessible to Bankman-Fried.
An Intimate Look at the Former FTX CEO
The relationship between Lewis and SBF was far from a casual writer-subject dynamic. With over 70 days spent together during a myriad of trips to the Bahamas in 2022, Lewis enjoyed unprecedented access, even staying in various rooms of SBF’s residence, as he admitted to the Wall Street Journal.
Lewis’s description of the post-FTX collapse evokes a vivid scene of sudden abandonment, likening it to “the aftermath of Pompeii,” with belongings left behind in haste and company cars left abandoned.
SBF is now facing an impending trial set to begin on October 4th. It encompasses seven charges related to fraud, two of which require the prosecution to unequivocally establish his criminality, complemented by five conspiracy charges.
