加密貨幣大佬的量刑之路：山姆·班克曼-弗里德的興衰

The Rise and Fall of a Crypto Kingpin: Sam Bankman-Fried's Path to Sentencing

加密貨幣大佬的興衰：山姆·班克曼-弗里德的量刑之路

In the annals of modern finance, the tale of Sam Bankman-Fried stands as a cautionary fable of hubris, deception, and the spectacular downfall of a once-heralded titan. As the founder and CEO of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Bankman-Fried's meteoric ascent to the pinnacle of the crypto world was abruptly halted by a wave of revelations that exposed a web of fraudulent practices and reckless mismanagement.

在現代金融史冊中，薩姆·班克曼·弗里德的故事是一個警示寓言，講述了一位曾經被譽為巨人的傲慢、欺騙和驚人的垮台。作為現已解散的加密貨幣交易所FTX 的創始人兼首席執行官，班克曼·弗里德(Bankman-Fried) 迅速登上加密貨幣世界頂峰的步伐，因一系列欺詐行為和魯莽管理不善網絡的曝光而戛然而止。

A Quantum Leap into the Cryptoverse

進入加密世界的量子飛躍

Sam Bankman-Fried's journey into the depths of cryptocurrency began in 2017, when he left his quantitative trading job at Jane Street Capital to establish Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading firm. His vision was to capitalize on the burgeoning market for digital assets, a nascent realm rife with volatility and uncharted territory.

Sam Bankman-Fried 深入加密貨幣的旅程始於 2017 年，當時他辭去了 Jane Street Capital 的量化交易工作，成立了加密貨幣交易公司 Alameda Research。他的願景是利用新興的數位資產市場，這是一個充滿波動和未知領域的新興領域。

FTX: A Crypto Empire on Shaky Ground

FTX：搖搖欲墜的加密帝國

In May 2019, Bankman-Fried joined forces with Gary Wang, a former Google employee, to launch FTX, a platform designed to facilitate the trading of crypto tokens and derivatives. The exchange rapidly gained traction, buoyed by the soaring popularity of cryptocurrencies and Bankman-Fried's reputation as a savvy investor.

2019 年 5 月，Bankman-Fried 與Google前員工 Gary Wang 聯手推出了 FTX，這是一個旨在促進加密代幣和衍生性商品交易的平台。由於加密貨幣的飆升和班克曼弗里德作為精明投資者的聲譽，該交易所迅速獲得了關注。

The Pinnacle of Success and the Seeds of Doubt

成功的頂峰和懷疑的種子

FTX's ascent to prominence reached its zenith in October 2021, when the company secured $420 million in venture funding, valuing the fledgling enterprise at a staggering $25 billion. Bankman-Fried himself emerged as a billionaire, his net worth estimated at $22.5 billion by Forbes magazine, a figure that would balloon to $26 billion before year's end.

FTX 的崛起在 2021 年 10 月達到頂峰，當時該公司獲得了 4.2 億美元的風險投資，這家新創企業的估值達到驚人的 250 億美元。班克曼-弗里德本人已成為億萬富翁，《富比士》雜誌估計他的淨資產為 225 億美元，這一數字在年底前將飆升至​​ 260 億美元。

Cryptomania and the "Don't Miss Out" Frenzy

加密狂熱和“不要錯過”的狂熱

The Super Bowl broadcast in February 2022 served as a testament to the pervasiveness of cryptocurrency fever, with a barrage of advertisements touting the benefits of digital assets. Among the most memorable was FTX's "Don't Miss Out" spot, featuring actor Larry David's skepticism portrayed as akin to primitive man's resistance to the wheel.

2022 年 2 月播出的超級盃節目證明了加密貨幣熱的普遍存在，大量廣告宣傳數位資產的好處。其中最令人難忘的是 FTX 的“Don’t Miss Out”廣告，其中演員拉里·大衛 (Larry David) 的懷疑態度被描繪成類似於原始人對車輪的抵制。

The White Knight and a Web of Support

白騎士和支持網

As the cryptocurrency market underwent a downturn, Bankman-Fried emerged as the self-proclaimed "white knight" of the industry. Alameda extended a $200 million credit line to crypto lender Voyager Digital, while FTX provided a $250 million loan to BlockFi. These actions cemented Bankman-Fried's reputation as a rescuer of distressed crypto companies.

隨著加密貨幣市場的低迷，班克曼-弗里德成為了自稱為行業「白衣騎士」的人。 Alameda 向加密貨幣貸款機構 Voyager Digital 提供了 2 億美元的信貸額度，而 FTX 則向 BlockFi 提供了 2.5 億美元的貸款。這些行動鞏固了班克曼-弗里德作為陷入困境的加密貨幣公司救助者的聲譽。

The Crack in the Facade

門面的裂縫

On November 2, 2022, the edifice of FTX began to crumble when crypto news website CoinDesk exposed a leaked Alameda Research balance sheet that revealed a substantial portion of the firm's assets were held in FTX's own token, FTT. The weight of this disclosure caused the value of FTT to plummet by around $400 million, triggering a chain reaction of events that would ultimately lead to FTX's collapse.

2022 年11 月2 日，當加密貨幣新聞網站CoinDesk 曝光了一份洩露的Alameda Research 資產負債表時，FTX 的大廈開始崩潰，該資產負債表顯示該公司的很大一部分資產是以FTX 自己的代幣FTT 持有的。這項披露的影響力導致 FTT 的價值暴跌約 4 億美元，引發一系列事件的連鎖反應，最終導致 FTX 崩潰。

The Collapse and the Unraveling

崩潰與瓦解

In the wake of the FTT debacle, FTX faced a wave of customer withdrawals that it was unable to meet. On November 11, 2022, Bankman-Fried resigned as FTX's CEO, and the company filed for bankruptcy protection. The once-lauded crypto exchange had crumbled, leaving behind a trail of bewildered investors and shattered confidence.

FTT 崩潰後，FTX 面臨一波無法應付的客戶撤回潮。 2022年11月11日，Bankman-Fried辭去FTX執行長職務，該公司申請破產保護。這家曾經備受讚譽的加密貨幣交易所已經崩潰，留下了一群困惑的投資者和粉碎的信心。

Arrest, Extradition, and a Guilty Plea

逮捕、引渡和認罪

The fall from grace continued on December 12, 2022, when Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas, where he resided and where FTX had its headquarters. A federal grand jury in Manhattan indicted him on charges of fraud and conspiracy. The following day, Bankman-Fried left the Bahamas after agreeing to extradition to the United States. While in transit, prosecutors announced that Wang and Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison had pleaded guilty and pledged to cooperate with the authorities.

2022 年 12 月 12 日，班克曼·弗里德 (Bankman-Fried) 的失寵仍在繼續，他在巴哈馬群島被捕，他居住在那裡，也是 FTX 總部所在地。曼哈頓的一個聯邦大陪審團以欺詐和共謀罪名起訴他。第二天，班克曼-弗里德在同意引渡到美國後離開巴哈馬。在運送途中，檢察官宣布王和阿拉米達首席執行官卡羅琳·埃里森已認罪並承諾與當局合作。

Initial Appearance and Home Detention

初次出庭及居家拘留

Bankman-Fried made his initial appearance in Manhattan federal court on December 22, 2022, and was released to home detention at his parents' residence in Palo Alto, California, on a $250 million bond. The seemingly lenient bail conditions were based on Bankman-Fried's lack of criminal history and his surrender to authorities.

班克曼-弗里德於 2022 年 12 月 22 日首次在曼哈頓聯邦法院出庭，並以 2.5 億美元的保釋金被釋放，在家中拘留在其父母位於加利福尼亞州帕洛阿爾託的住所。看似寬鬆的保釋條件是基於班克曼-弗里德沒有犯罪記錄，並且他向當局自首。

Bail Revoked Amid Tampering Allegations

因篡改指控而撤銷保釋

However, Bankman-Fried's time under house arrest was short-lived. On August 11, 2023, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan revoked Bankman-Fried's bail after finding probable cause to believe he tampered with witnesses. Prosecutors presented evidence that Bankman-Fried had attempted to contact a witness by sharing Ellison's private writings with a New York Times reporter, an act that violated the terms of his bail. Bankman-Fried was remanded to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to await trial.

然而，班克曼-弗里德的軟禁時間很短。 2023 年 8 月 11 日，美國地區法官劉易斯·卡普蘭 (Lewis Kaplan) 在找到合理理由相信班克曼-弗里德篡改證人後，撤銷了他的保釋。檢察官提供的證據表明，班克曼-弗里德曾試圖透過與《紐約時報》記者分享艾里森的私人著作來聯繫證人，這項行為違反了他的保釋條款。班克曼-弗里德被還押到布魯克林大都會拘留中心等待審判。

Trial and Defense

審判與辯護

The trial commenced in Manhattan federal court on October 3, 2023. Bankman-Fried took the stand in his own defense on October 28, acknowledging the collapse of FTX but denying allegations of fraud or theft. He portrayed himself as a well-intentioned entrepreneur overwhelmed by the rapid growth of his company.

審判於 2023 年 10 月 3 日在曼哈頓聯邦法院開始。Bankman-Fried 於 10 月 28 日出庭為自己辯護，承認 FTX 倒閉，但否認欺詐或盜竊指控。他將自己描繪成一位善意的企業家，對公司的快速發展感到不知所措。

Conviction and Impending Sentencing

定罪和即將判刑

On November 2, 2023, a jury found Bankman-Fried guilty on all seven counts against him, including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit fraud. The verdict marked the culmination of a tumultuous year that had witnessed the rise and fall of a once-revered figure in the financial world.

2023 年 11 月 2 日，陪審團裁定班克曼-弗里德犯下全部七項罪名，包括電匯詐欺、洗錢和共謀詐欺。這項判決標誌著動盪的一年達到了頂峰，這一年見證了一位曾經在金融界受人尊敬的人物的興衰。

Sentencing Day

宣判日

Sam Bankman-Fried's journey comes full circle on March 28, 2024, when he faces sentencing for his fraud conviction. The eyes of the world will be upon the courtroom as Judge Kaplan determines the appropriate punishment for the complex and controversial figure who has captivated the public's attention with his audacious exploits and subsequent downfall. With the imposition of a sentence, the curtain will fall on the extraordinary tale of Sam Bankman-Fried, a tale that has shaken the crypto world and served as a cautionary reminder of the perils of greed, hubris, and unchecked ambition.

Sam Bankman-Fried 的旅程於 2024 年 3 月 28 日圓滿結束，他將因欺詐罪被判刑。當卡普蘭法官決定對這位複雜而有爭議的人物進行適當的懲罰時，全世界的目光都將集中在法庭上，這位複雜而有爭議的人物以其大膽的行為和隨後的垮台吸引了公眾的注意力。隨著判決的執行，山姆·班克曼-弗里德 (Sam Bankman-Fried) 的非凡故事將落下帷幕，這個故事震撼了加密世界，並警示人們貪婪、傲慢和不受控制的野心的危險。