Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the failed crypto exchange FTX, reportedly explored the idea of paying Donald Trump $5 billion not to run for the presidency. This revelation comes from Michael Lewis, the acclaimed author of books like “The Big Short” and “Flash Boys,” during a CBS interview.
According to Lewis, there was a sum of $5 billion discussed as a potential payment to dissuade Trump from running for office. Additionally, Bankman-Fried was reportedly concerned about the legality of such a payment. It’s worth noting that Bankman-Fried was an active political donor before FTX’s collapse, with federal prosecutors reportedly investigating his donations to lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Bankman-Fried is currently facing serious legal challenges, including the possibility of over 100 years in prison if convicted on various charges, including fraud, in his upcoming trial, which is scheduled to begin soon. A spokesperson for Bankman-Fried declined to comment on the potential payment.