DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ FTX's Bankman-Fried, facing extradition, to appear in Bahamas court -source
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | Thomson Reuters Institute | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The Founder and former CEO of crypto currency exchange FTX Sam Bankman-Fried leaves the Magistrate Court building in Nassau, Bahamas December 19, 2022. On Monday, Bankman-Fried appeared in court in capital Nassau after Reuters and other outlets reported over the weekend that he had decided to agree to extradition. But during the tumultuous hearing, a Bahamas lawyer for Bankman-Fried, Jerone Roberts, said his client was not yet ready to consent. Roberts said Bankman-Fried had seen an affidavit outlining the U.S. charges against him, but that he wanted to see the full indictment, which was unsealed in Manhattan federal court on Dec. 12. Upon arrival in the United States, Bankman-Fried would enter a plea in federal court within a day or two.

☆ An FTX exec bought $6 million of real estate and restaurants in a small Massachusetts town. The crypto giant's collapse has local officials worried about its future.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ryan Salame, a co-CEO at FTX, bought $6 million of restaurants and real estate in Lenox, Massachusetts. A local newspaper reported last year that Salame owned almost half the town's restaurants. As first reported by local news outlet The Berkshire Eagle, Ryan Salame, who was co-CEO at FTX Digital Markets, invested $6 million in restaurants and real estate in Lenox. Bankman-Fried has been accused of funneling customer funds into his trading firm, Alameda, and using some customer money to buy luxury real estate and fund political donations. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Salame vomited upon hearing about FTX's impending collapse.

☆ Who is Ryan Salame, the FTX exec, Republican mega-donor, and New England restaurateur who blew the whistle on FTX?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ryan Salame, FTX Digital Market's Co-CEO, tipped off regulators about what was going on at the exchange. Days before disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Co-CEO Salame tipped off regulators on alleged malfeasance at the once-$32 billion crypto empire. Bankman-Fried notoriously told a Vox reporter "fuck regulators....they make everything worse" shortly after FTX filed for bankruptcy protection last month. "I always thought he was a great leader," Childs, who hasn't seen Salame since highschool, told The Berkshire Eagle. He purchased six pieces of real estate in the area to the tune of $6 million, according to The Berkshire Eagle.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried had to be 'awakened' by a court official after closing his eyes during his extradition hearing, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Grace Dean | Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SBF had to be "awakened" by a court official after closing his eyes during a hearing, per Reuters. Bankman-Fried was in court in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, on Monday. Last week he had indicated to the court that he wasn't waiving his right to challenge his extradition to the US. The Journal reported that at the hearing, a court official told Bankman-Fried to stand up straight. When asked to stand in court, Bloomberg reported that Bankman-Fried had removed his blue suit jacket, untucked his shirt, and had his sleeves rolled up.

☆ Democrats' Senate Majority PAC plans to return $3 million in donations from disgraced former FTX executives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The pro-Democratic Senate Majority PAC plans to return $3 million in donations from former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and the crypto exchange's ex-head of engineering, Nishad Singh, the group said Tuesday. The super PAC, which spent more than $160 million supporting Democratic bids for Senate seats, received $2 million from Singh and $1 million from Bankman-Fried during the 2022 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records. The Democratic National Committee and the party's Senate and House campaign arms — the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — have made similar commitments to return donations from former FTX executives. Bankman-Fried has contributed millions toward other PACs aligned with the Democratic Party, including to the House Majority PAC, Protect Our Future and Future Forward USA. Bankman-Fried also donated $6 million in April to House Majority PAC, which raises money for Democratic candidates running for the lower chamber, according to an FEC filing.

It was not immediately clear when Bankman-Fried would depart the Bahamas, where he was arrested on Dec. 12 per a U.S. extradition request. At the hearing, his local criminal defense attorney, Jerone Roberts, told Serville initially that he did not know why Bankman-Fried was brought to court on Monday morning. Serville said at the hearing that he could not take any action on Bankman-Fried's extradition without the former billionaire's consent. [1/9] The Founder and former CEO of crypto currency exchange FTX Sam Bankman-Fried leaves the Magistrate Court building in Nassau, Bahamas December 19, 2022. At one point during the hearing, Bankman-Fried leaned back with his eyes closed and appeared to be awakened by a court official.

Krystal Rolle, a lawyer who has represented Bankman-Fried on other matters in the Bahamas, told Reuters Bankman-Fried had decided to consent to be extradited to the United States. After the hearing, Bankman-Fried was remanded back to the custody of the Bahamas' Department of Corrections. During Monday's hearing, Bankman-Fried, dressed in a dark blue jacket and an untucked white shirt, spoke only to greet Magistrate Shaka Serville and confirm he would speak with his U.S. counsel. Roberts told Serville initially that he did not know why Bankman-Fried was brought to court on Monday morning. When the hearing concluded, Bankman-Fried was given the chance to speak on the phone with his U.S. defense lawyer with Roberts present.

When the hearing concluded, Bankman-Fried was given the chance to speak on the phone with his U.S. defense lawyer with Roberts present. After the hearing, Bankman-Fried was remanded back to the custody of the Bahamas' Department of Corrections. [1/9] The Founder and former CEO of crypto currency exchange FTX Sam Bankman-Fried leaves the Magistrate Court building in Nassau, Bahamas December 19, 2022. Roberts told Serville initially that he did not know why Bankman-Fried was brought to court on Monday morning. Following a recess, the lawyer said Bankman-Fried wanted to see the indictment before consenting to extradition.

Bankman-Fried initially had said he would fight extradition after his arrest a week ago in the Bahamas, where he lives and FTX is based. [1/7] The Founder and former CEO of crypto currency exchange FTX Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at the Magistrate Court building in Nassau, Bahamas December 19, 2022. Bankman-Fried's defense lawyer initially told Serville that he did not know why Bankman-Fried was brought to court on Monday morning. Following a recess, the lawyer said that Bankman-Fried wanted to see the indictment before consenting to extradition. Mark Cohen, a U.S. lawyer who represents Bankman-Fried, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Bankman-Fried initially had said he would fight extradition after his arrest a week ago in the Bahamas, where he lives and FTX is based. Reuters reported first on Saturday that Bankman-Fried would return to court to reverse his decision, citing a source. Bankman-Fried's defense lawyer however told Magistrate Shaka Serville that he does not know why Bankman-Fried was brought to court this morning. LONG ROAD TO EVENTUAL TRIAL[1/7] The Founder and former CEO of crypto currency exchange FTX Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at the Magistrate Court building in Nassau, Bahamas December 19, 2022. REUTERS/Dante Carrer 1 2 3 4 5Upon being extradited to the United States, Bankman-Fried would be required to appear before a judge in Manhattan within two days, though the hearing would likely take place quickly.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX, to waive extradition in Bahamas court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Former FTX CEO and founder Sam Bankman-Fried will appear in Bahamas court on Monday where he’s expected to waive his extradition rights, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The move is a stunning reversal of course for Bankman-Fried who was arrested in the Bahamas Dec. 12 and initially resisted extradition. Bankman-Fried, 30, once the most prominent name in crypto, has since seen his empire fall into disgrace over the past few weeks. Last week, he was indicted in New York federal court on eight counts spanning wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and violating campaign finance laws. At a congressional hearing on FTX’s collapse and missteps last week, the company’s new CEO, John J. Ray III, lashed out at FTX’s leadership under Bankman-Fried.

The article was one of a series of reports this year by the news agency on Binance's financial compliance and relationship with regulators across the world. Reuters also asked representatives of the local Binance units and affiliates about their relationship with the main Binance exchange. In Italy, Binance's public corporate filings detail just the unit's capital base and its ownership by a separate Binance company in Ireland. The Italian company, Binance Italy S.R.L., has its listed address in a block of shops and apartments in the southern city of Lecce. Just two of the Binance units analysed by Reuters offer more substantial details in their filings.

Dec 19 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, is expected to appear in court in the Bahamas on Monday and agree to be extradited to the United States, where he faces fraud charges. Bankman-Fried initially said he would fight extradition after his arrest a week ago in the Bahamas, where he lives and FTX is based. Reuters reported first on Saturday that Bankman-Fried would return to court to reverse his decision. Upon being extradited to the United States, Bankman-Fried would be required to appear before a judge in Manhattan within two days, though the hearing would likely take place quickly. Any trial of Bankman-Fried is likely more than a year away, legal experts told Reuters.

Insurers were already reluctant to underwrite asset and directors and officers (D&O) protection policies for crypto companies because of scant market regulation and the volatile prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Specialists in the Lloyd's of London (SOLYD.UL) and Bermuda insurance markets are requiring more transparency from crypto companies about their exposure to FTX. Exclusions may act as a failsafe for insurers, and will make it even more difficult for companies that are seeking coverage, insurers and brokers said. Crypto firms with financial exposure to FTX include Binance, a crypto exchange, and Genesis, a crypto lender, neither of which responded to e-mails seeking comment. The FTX collapse will also likely lead to a rise in insurance rates, especially in the U.S. D&O market, insurers said.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried pictured arriving at courthouse in Bahamas, where his extradition to the US could be decided
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It's still not certain if Sam Bankman-Fried will submit to an extradition to be brought to the US. He's facing serious wire fraud and conspiracy charges in New York federal court. Federal prosecutors in the US have hit Bankman-Fried with 8 counts, including for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws. "These contributions were disguised to look like they were coming from wealthy co-conspirators when, in fact, the contributions were funded by Alameda research with stolen customer money," Williams said at the conference. The brief indictment against Bankman-Fried targeted just him, and laid the foundation to extradite him from the Bahamas.

☆ How FTX founder SBF and friends quietly donated to political groups and relatives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is led by officers of the Royal Bahamas Police force following his arrest. The disgraced CEO donated to his brother Gabe Bankman-Fried's nonprofit organization, Guarding Against Pandemics. Alameda Research donated more than $12 million to Gabe Bankman-Fried's nonprofit since late last year, according to California state campaign finance records. California state campaign finance records show Alameda donated $5 million to Guarding Against Pandemics last year and $7.1 million this year. Guarding Against Pandemics also paid political communications and media company GMMB just over $690,000 last year for advertising and production, its tax form says.

☆ 'Big Short' investor Michael Burry says crypto reserve reviews like Binance's are 'essentially meaningless'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Michael Burry commented on news that the accountant that produced Binance's proof-of-reserves report would halt all work for crypto firms. The legendary "Big Short" investor described proof of reserves, which has been popularized since FTX's implosion, as "essentially meaningless." The "Big Short" former hedge fund manager tweeted on Friday that such reviews on a firm's digital holdings are "essentially meaningless." "In 2005 when I started using a new kind of credit default swap, our auditors were learning on the job," Burry tweeted on Friday. But critics have said that proof of reserves doesn't provide a complete picture of a company's risks and can be misleading.

☆ The FTX disaster has set back crypto by 'years' — here are 3 ways it could reshape the industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It aims to reduce the risks for consumers buying crypto, making exchanges liable if they lose investors' assets. The saga has set back adoption of crypto assets by "one or two years," according to Evgeny Gaevoy, founder and CEO of crypto market maker Wintermute. ConsolidationMany new companies and projects emerged in the years that followed the 2018 crypto winter — FTX among them. Marieke Flament, Near's CEO, said the firm had limited exposure to FTX — though the collapse was still "a surprise and a shock." Fears have risen over the financial health of other major crypto exchanges after FTX's failure.

☆ This 26-year-old FTX investor lost access to $14,000 when Sam Bankman-Fried's exchange collapsed. Now he plans to keep his money in stocks.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In an interview with Insider, Daniil Pemberton said the collapse of FTX has rattled his trust in companies within crypto sector. The 26-year-old lost access to about $14,000 in his FTX account, which included bitcoin and ether. FTX also reportedly transferred billions of dollars in customer funds to Bankman-Fried's Alameda crypto hedge fund. "I lost faith in the companies within crypto," Pemberton said. Pivoting to traditional investmentsIn the implosion of FTX, Pemberton said he lost approximately 60% of his total portfolio, including stocks and holdings across other exchanges, including Binance.

☆ Analysis: After a day of courtroom bickering and confusion, SBF is coming home
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The tl;dr version: It seems that SBF’s US lawyers worked out an agreement with Bahamian prosecutors to drop the extradition fight, which would have taken months, if not years, to play out. But SBF’s local defense lawyer, Roberts, said he wasn’t included in that plan, and claimed prosecutors wouldn’t share the US indictment with him. But then he was denied bail in the Bahamas, meaning he wouldn’t be able to fight extradition from the comfort of his luxury home. After a week of that, SBF is ready to face the music on US soil. To be sure, the federal detention facility in Brooklyn where SBF could end up while awaiting trial isn’t exactly the Ritz.

☆ Binance to acquire bankrupt crypto exchange Voyager's assets for $1 billion, weeks after planned FTX deal failed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Binance will acquire the crypto assets and customer deposits of Voyager Digital in a $1.02 billion deal, weeks after a planned FTX-Voyager acquisition failed as a result of FTX 's collapse and Sam Bankman-Fried's arrest. At the time of filing, the crypto exchange had approximately $1.3 billion in assets but was owed over $650 million by 3AC, compared to $5.8 billion worth of assets at the end of 2021. More than 1.7 million Voyager users were waiting to discover what would happen to their crypto. When FTX's deal was announced, users were to receive an account credit alongside custody of certain cryptocurrencies that FTX supported. But weeks later, after the exposure of a multi-billion dollar balance sheet hole forced FTX into bankruptcy, Voyager, like many other FTX acquisition targets, was forced into the lurch.

☆ FTX's collapse is shaking crypto to its core. The pain may not be over
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The crypto industry has been rocked by the collapse of FTX. Big-name investors from Sequoia Capital to SoftBank dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the company, making bets that are now worthless. Contagion from the debacle is already playing out, with crypto lender BlockFi now seeking bankruptcy protection after revealing lending exposure to FTX and Alameda. "Nothing's too big to fail," says Ian Rogers, chief experience officer of crypto security firm Ledger. Is it time to abandon crypto exchanges, or is there still a place for centralized firms in an industry that prides itself on decentralization?

☆ Where Was Biden’s SEC Sheriff on Sam Bankman-Fried?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Allysia Finley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler is trying to spin the FTX blow-up as a cautionary tale about the crypto “wild West.” But where was the SEC sheriff when Sam Bankman-Fried was funneling FTX customers’ funds to his Alameda Research trading house to finance risky bets and a lavish lifestyle? In September 2021, Mr. Gensler rejected major industry players’ contention that he needed congressional authorization to regulate crypto products. “We have robust authorities at the Securities and Exchange Commission and we’re going to use them,” he told the Washington Post. “We’ll also be the cop on the beat, bringing those enforcement actions.” And the commission has—but not against FTX.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried, currently held in a Bahamian prison, now plans to face the music and will not fight extradition to the US, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried plans to stop resisting his extradition to the US, Reuters reported. He is expected to appear in court on Monday in the Bahamas as he faces fraud charges in the US. His lawyers previously said at his first court appearance that he would fight being sent back. Earlier this month, the FTX founder told New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin that he'd considered heading to the US and possibly speaking to members of Congress. Mark Botnick, a spokesperson for Bankman-Fried, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of typical working hours.

The firm's "years-long" fraud didn't just extend to playing with customer money, according to the SEC. Unlike those other market makers or power users, Alameda had a set of powerful tools at its disposal. The kind of high-frequency trading that FTX users engaged in made that invaluable. Alameda secured its loans from Voyager and BlockFi with FTT tokens, which FTX minted itself. Major Alameda lenders, like Voyager, declared bankruptcy.

Search resuls for: "Alameda"

25 mentions found