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FTX's Bahamas crypto empire: Stimulants, subterfuge and a spectacular collapse
The Washington Post via SF Gate ^ | November 24, 2022 | By Tim Craig, Drew Harwell and Nitasha Tiku

Posted on 11/25/2022 6:42:41 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

NASSAU, Bahamas - Before Sam Bankman-Fried's $16 billion empire imploded, Margaux Avedisian remembers thinking there was something unsettling about the cryptocurrency wunderkind.

Bankman-Fried had become a legend by pushing an image of monkish aloofness, vowing to forsake the allures of his extraordinary wealth - sleeping on beanbag chairs, driving a Toyota Corolla - and to give away his fortune for the greater good.

Yet in April, when Avedisian was hired as a master of ceremonies for a conference in the Bahamas sponsored by FTX, she saw how the 30-year-old billionaire really lived: in a guarded island compound, every need closely catered to, the world's elite at his beck and call.

Conference guests partied in casinos where Bahamians weren't allowed to gamble and hobnobbed with celebrity attendees, including singer Katy Perry and football veteran Tom Brady. For one party, VIPs took a boat from the island to a second, even fancier island for a feast of lobster, a private DJ concert and an open bar.

"You're living this lifestyle of poverty, but you're partying with Katy Perry?" she recalled thinking. "Why would you want to hang out with these celebrities if you're so head-down trying to change the world?"

When Bankman-Fried and his band of crypto risk-takers moved to the Bahamas last year in a blitz of extravagant spending, they promised to remake the island paradise into a global capital of the new financial elite. Some Bahamians said they felt lucky to have an opportunity to work so close to a superstar.

Instead, Bankman-Fried stepped down as FTX's CEO earlier this month after presiding over one of the fastest meltdowns of wealth in modern history. FTX, valued earlier this year at $32 billion, has been declared bankrupt, and his $16 billion personal fortune nosedived to zero in less than a week.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bitcoin; crypto; cryptocurrency; deepstate; ftx; sambankmanfried; tombrady
Tom Brady’s role in the FTX collapse is curious. Tom held an equity stake in FTX and did a Super Bowl add last year with his wife.

There were divorce rumors starting in late summer. He took an odd 11-day “leave of absence” from the Bucs in the middle of the preseason to spend time with his family — in the Bahamas.

Their final divorce was announced (out of nowhere) on October 28, then exactly two weeks later on November 11th FTX filed bankruptcy.

I suspect Tom got wind of financial problems at FTX a few months ago, knew he needed to protect his and Gizelles wealth, so a speedy divorce would at least protect half of their wealth from any financial liability Tom may have from the FTX collapse.

1 posted on 11/25/2022 6:42:41 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

That makes a lot of sense.
I am still amazed Brady sunk his entire fortune into FTX


2 posted on 11/25/2022 6:54:43 AM PST by RWGinger (LGB)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

She was in a commercial as well.
Previous rumor was he had work done.
I don’t see either Tom or Gisele understanding cryptocurrency.


3 posted on 11/25/2022 6:54:58 AM PST by EEGator
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To: RWGinger

He didn’t, that’s an online falsehood. Tom will be fine as will Gisele.


4 posted on 11/25/2022 6:56:41 AM PST by EEGator
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To: EEGator

Thanks
It didn’t make sense


5 posted on 11/25/2022 7:12:54 AM PST by RWGinger (LGB)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
she saw how the 30-year-old billionaire really lived

I'm amazed that stupid liberal peons are ignorant of how their Heros and Zeros really live and think.

Like the youtube vid of somebody showing some stupid white female liberal pictures of (3) mansions and a typical middle class dwelling and asking the dumb broad which is Hitlery's house.

The stupid liberals are always stunned to see Hitlery's massive mansion.

6 posted on 11/25/2022 7:30:38 AM PST by LouAvul (Daniel 4:17: "..the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.." )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This might explain some of the weird stuff that happened with Brady. He has certainly been off

They may have been trying to protect assets from a possible lawsuit.


7 posted on 11/25/2022 7:31:20 AM PST by RummyChick
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To: RWGinger
I am still amazed Brady sunk his entire fortune into FTX

He certainly wouldn't be the first athlete to make poor decisions about money.

8 posted on 11/25/2022 8:23:20 AM PST by neverevergiveup
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To: neverevergiveup

agree
but apparently he did not


9 posted on 11/25/2022 8:33:39 AM PST by RWGinger (LGB)
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To: RWGinger

No matter how it turns out, Tom has a 10 year contract with Fox at $30+ million a year when he does retire.


10 posted on 11/25/2022 8:49:08 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: Night Hides Not

I guess I don’t need to start a Go Fund for him?


11 posted on 11/25/2022 9:49:34 AM PST by RWGinger (LGB)
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To: LouAvul

Just like hero Obama. So worried the oceans are going rise he is buying 10s of millions of ocean front property. Or to save us from the evils of carbon and “fossil” fuels the prophets, or is it profits, of global warming must fly all over the world in private jets and cruise mega yachts to plan our salvation. Progressives have no God but government and the latest fraudster promising them utopia.


12 posted on 11/25/2022 10:09:57 AM PST by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: Organic Panic

“Margaux Avedisian remembers thinking there was something unsettling about the cryptocurrency wunderkind.”

She carefully waited until FTX couldn’t do the Dems any more good before babbling this BS.


13 posted on 11/25/2022 8:48:58 PM PST by rxh4n1
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

FTX is just like all crypto, a money laundering operation at its core.


14 posted on 11/25/2022 8:51:17 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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