Sam Bankman-Fried Wanted to Pay Donald Trump $5 Billion to Not Run for President in 2024, Big Short Author Claims

cryptonews.com:

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried explored the possibility of offering Donald Trump a staggering $5 billion to dissuade him from running for the United States presidency in 2024, Big Short author Michael Lewis revealed. 

During a 60 Minutes interview on October 1, Lewis revealed Sam Bankman-Fried's contemplation of this audacious proposal. 

He shed light on Bankman-Fried's perspective, explaining that SBF viewed Trump's potential candidacy as a threat to U.S. democracy, categorizing him as an "existential risk."

Lewis revealed that SBF had explored not only the financial feasibility of the offer but also its legality. 

SBF was among the top donors to the Democrats and also millions to Republicans. 

However, the idea never materialized because Bankman-Fried no longer possessed the required $5 billion. 

Michael Lewis’s latest book "Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon" chronicles the ascent and descent of SBF's fortunes.

In addition to this astonishing revelation, Lewis provided insights into his close relationship with SBF, sharing that he spent over 70 days in the Bahamas across multiple trips in 2022, forming a strong bond with the FTX founder.

Reflecting on the aftermath of FTX's collapse in November 2022, Lewis likened it to the ruins of Pompeii, with personal belongings and company assets abandoned in the wake of the catastrophe.

As for the legal implications of these claims, representatives for both Sam Bankman-Fried and Donald Trump declined to comment.

The author-journalist claimed that if there wasn’t a run on crypto deposits on FTX, the exchange would still be there making money. 

The upcoming high-profile trial of Sam Bankman-Fried is scheduled to commence on October 3 with jury selection, followed by the