Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX cryptocurrency exchange, has been
charged with new criminal offenses in an updated indictment accusing him
of conspiring to make over 300 illegal political donations.
The new
indictment contains 12 criminal charges, up from eight in the previous
one, including four for fraud and eight for conspiracy.
Bankman-Fried is
accused of stealing billions of dollars from FTX customer funds to
offset losses at Alameda Research, his crypto hedge fund.
Two of his
former top executives have already pleaded guilty, adding to the
pressure on him. The new charges also allege that Bankman-Fried used
"straw" donors or corporate funds to make illegal political donations,
including to left-leaning and Republican candidates and an LGBTQ group.
The trial is scheduled for October, and Bankman-Fried is currently
attempting to avoid jail after his online activities led the judge to
consider revoking his $250 million bail package.