Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has refused to testify before the US Congress until he has “finished learning and reviewing what happened.”
Rep. Waters, and the House Committee on Financial Services:
Once I have finished learning and reviewing what happened, I would feel like it was my duty to appear before the committee and explain.
I’m not sure that will happen by the 13th. But when it does, I will testify. https://t.co/c0P8yKlyQt
—SBF (@SBF_FTX) December 4, 2022
Bankman Fried’s unwillingness to testify before Congress, scheduled for December 13, despite a spate of media appearances, did not sit well with the cryptocurrency community. Following the downward spiral of FTX and its sister companies in the second week of November, Bankman-Fried made his first live public appearance on November 30 during the New York Times DealBook Summit. A day later, he appeared in an interview on Good Morning America and in a Twitter Space hosted by IBC Group founder and CEO Mario Nawfal.
Alex Berenson, an author by trade, scoffed at Bankman-Fried’s refusal to to declare despite his media frenzy and said the former FTX exec is “happy to talk to anyone and everyone… as long as it’s not under oath.”
Zerohedge, a popular libertarian finance blog, poked fun at the whole debacle and how Bankman Fried has managed to dictate the terms with lawmakers.
“It may take me 50 years to learn what happened in the company I ran, but by god I SWEAR it will be my duty to appear before Congress… some time in 2089” https://t.co/HjwFtjZajO
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) December 5, 2022
Another user pointed to the large donations made by the former CEO to the Democratic party, implying that his donations have given him leverage to get away with stealing people’s money while telling Congress when he is going to testify.
That’ll be good enough for @RepMaxineWaters. Whenever you’re ready, Sam. Take your time. After all, Sam and his family have been very good to Democrats.
Like, (D)elightfully good.
 https://t.co/i6SmebwgxY pic.twitter.com/KiKTHmCsxl
— Viva Frei (@thevivafrei) December 5, 2022
A popular crypto influencer calling himself Crypto Bull on Twitter called Bankman Fried a “Democrat rat” who stole $8 billion in people’s money without facing any consequences while people are in jail for smoking marijuana.
There are people in this country rotting in jail for life, because they smoked a few joints. Meanwhile this Democrat rat stole 8 billion dollars, roaming free and dictating Congress when he will appear. What the actual fuck? https://t.co/v4aniARj6U
—CryptoBull (@CryptoBull2020) December 5, 2022
Another Twitter user qualified shameful that a man who stole money from clients has the pleasure of dictating terms with Congress. The user wrote:
“You shouldn’t have the option of ‘at your disposal’ – they have to subpoena you to appear and get the handcuffs ready. Finding out what happened is a complete lie.”
Many members of the cryptocurrency community have questioned US lawmakers for failing to act quickly against the disgraced executive. others have indicated the large amounts of money donated by Bankman-Fried to Democrats and their political affiliations.
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