Core Insights - Sam Bankman-Fried orchestrated a massive fraud scheme involving the misappropriation of over $8 billion in customer funds from FTX, which he used for personal expenses, investments, political contributions, and to repay loans owed by Alameda Research [2][3]. Group 1: Fraudulent Activities - Bankman-Fried misled lenders and equity investors by providing false financial information, concealing the misuse of customer deposits [1]. - The Department of Justice (DOJ) characterized Bankman-Fried's actions as one of the largest financial frauds in history, leading to his conviction on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit money laundering [3]. Group 2: Company Background - FTX, founded by Bankman-Fried in 2019, reached a peak valuation of $32 billion before its collapse in November 2022, amid allegations of mishandling customer funds [4]. - The cryptocurrency exchange gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic as crypto investments surged [4]. Group 3: Legal Consequences - In September 2024, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture [7].