Discover the secret history of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried
In Catching Up To FTX: Lessons Learned In My Crusade Against Corruption, Fraud, and Bad Hair, celebrated YouTuber and podcaster Ben Armstrong delivers the extraordinary and compelling story of the rise and fall of FTX and its well-known founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Tracking the history of crypto exchanges from the original Mt. Gox to FTX and Binance, the author describes the history of fraud that has characterized much of the industry.
Armstrong outlines the history of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried, including a first-hand account of what he saw in the Bahamas when the indicted crypto titan was extradited from his home to face dozens of criminal and regulatory charges in the United States. He also discusses: - The weird and contradictory motives that drove Sam Bankman-Fried's brazen actions - A blow-by-blow account of the downfall of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried - The red flags that many ignored - and a few didn't - that preceded the collapse of FTX
The perfect book for anyone interested in crypto, finance, and corporate scandal, Catching Up To FTX will earn a spot on the bookshelves of everyone looking for an intense rollercoaster of a true story.
In Catching Up To FTX: Lessons Learned In My Crusade Against Corruption, Fraud, and Bad Hair, celebrated YouTuber and podcaster Ben Armstrong delivers the extraordinary and compelling story of the rise and fall of FTX and its well-known founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Tracking the history of crypto exchanges from the original Mt. Gox to FTX and Binance, the author describes the history of fraud that has characterized much of the industry.
Armstrong outlines the history of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried, including a first-hand account of what he saw in the Bahamas when the indicted crypto titan was extradited from his home to face dozens of criminal and regulatory charges in the United States. He also discusses: - The weird and contradictory motives that drove Sam Bankman-Fried's brazen actions - A blow-by-blow account of the downfall of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried - The red flags that many ignored - and a few didn't - that preceded the collapse of FTX
The perfect book for anyone interested in crypto, finance, and corporate scandal, Catching Up To FTX will earn a spot on the bookshelves of everyone looking for an intense rollercoaster of a true story.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
About the Author xi
Introduction 1
1 “Unhinged”: October 20, 2022 5
2 What’s Beef? 13
3 House of Cards 19
4 Finance Needs an Upgrade 27
5 What’s at Stake? 35
6 Rugs and Revolutions: A History of Crypto Exchanges 43
7 SBF: The Man behind the Myth 53
8 FTX: A Myth Born in a Bull Market 61
9 Bear Market 2022 69
10 Contagion 75
11 Scam Bankman Fried 83
12 Whistleblowers 89
13 The Bankless Debates 97
14 A Rival Goes in for the Kill 103
15 “1) What”: The Fall of FTX 109
16 Hip-Hop Politics 115
17 My Trip to the Bahamas 121
18 Side Quests 133
19 High Stakes 141
20 Justice? 151
21 The Final Showdown 159
22 Regulators, Mount Up! 169
Epilogue: Catching Up with the Bitsquad 179
Appendix: Timeline of Events 181
Glossary of Terms 183
Notes 187
Index 195
