Ex-CEO of disgraced cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, has triggered massive backlash for planning to speak at a New York Times event on 30 November.
I’ll be speaking with @andrewrsorkin at the @dealbook summit next Wednesday (11/30). https://t.co/QocjPtCVvC
— SBF (@SBF_FTX) November 23, 2022
Bankman-Fried announced on 23 November he would speak at the DealBook Summit with NYT journalist Andrew Sorkin, sparking anger from many people on social media.
A lot of folks have been asking if I would still be interviewing @SBF_FTX at the @nytimes @dealbook Summit on Nov 30…
— Andrew Ross Sorkin (@andrewrsorkin) November 23, 2022
The answer is yes. 👇
There are a lot of important questions to be asked and answered.
Nothing is off limits.
Looking forward to it… https://t.co/lShAqXLKGS
Sorkin added in the 23 November tweet: “A lot of folks have been asking if I would still be interviewing @SBF_FTX at the @nytimes @dealbook Summit on Nov 30… The answer is yes. There are a lot of important questions to be asked and answered. Nothing is off limits.”
Puff, The Magic Crypto
Many Twitter users took to the social media platform to voice their anger at Bankman-Fried’s announcement, with Bruce Fenton, Watchdog Capital managing editor asking him what he would speak about at the NYT talks.
He said: “Would be good to hear […] when [and] how you decided to take client funds [and] use them as collateral for loans – this is the key issue much more than margin issues [and] is being brushed off.”
He continued he should discuss “more on the political donations process [and] what those conversations are like behind closed doors.”
would be good to hear:
— Bruce Fenton 🇺🇸 (@brucefenton) November 23, 2022
– when/ how you decided to take client funds & use them as collateral for loans – this is the key issue much more than margin issues & is being brushed off
– more on the political donations process & what those conversations are like behind closed doors
How did this dude steal billions of dollars and is now speaking at a summit as a free man?
— Chairman (@WSBChairman) November 23, 2022
Make it make sense.
The “Chairman” of Wall Street Siren tweeted to his nearly one million followers: “How did this dude steal billions of dollars and is now speaking at a summit as a free man? Make it make sense.”
RIP rule of law in the United States
— Cred (@CryptoCred) November 23, 2022
Cred, with over half a million Twitter followers, added: “RIP rule of law in the United States.”
The bemusing NYT announcement comes after social media slammed the publication for writing a “puff piece on SBF” that many stated ignored the disgraced executive’s defrauding of the crypto community.
He remains in the Bahamas with members of his family and other acquaintances, according to social media posts. Several key US lawmakers, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sheldon Whitehouse, have called on the US Department of Justice to open a massive investigation on SBF’s former companies and the collapse of one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges.
