FTX scandal: Sam Bankman-Fried arrested
Fox News host Jesse Watters has the latest on the disgraced FTX founder's arrest on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.'
Twitter users pounced on the news that FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried had been arrested by authorities in the Bahamas Monday evening.
According to the Bahamian police, Bankman-Fried was arrested following a "receipt of formal notification from the United States that it has filed criminal charges against SBF" and the U.S. government is "likely to request his extradition."
This news came one day before Bankman-Fried was supposed to testify in front of the House Financial Services Committee over his cryptocurrency exchange losing billions and filing for bankruptcy in November. He was also the second-largest contributor to the Democratic Party behind liberal financial magnate George Soros.
FTX FOUNDER SAM BANKMAN-FRIED'S FAMILY BOASTS DEEP TIES TO DEMOCRAT POWER PLAYERS
Sam Bankman-Fried promised big-dollar grants to, or invested in, The Intercept, Vox, ProPublica and Semafor before FTX's collapse. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
While other social media users called out the timing, many more took the time to mock Bankman-Fried and his former supporters.
Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York noted, "Outgoing Rep. Zeldin asking what a lot of people are asking tonight. SBF was going to say a lot of things under oath tomorrow. Why arrest him right beforehand? Why not have the under-oath record that would have been created?"
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y. tweeted, "Tomorrow, Sam Bankman-Fried was scheduled to testify in front of the House Financial Services Committee. @HouseGOP was ready to grill him six ways to Sunday. Now breaking tonight, SBF was just arrested! Why not allow him to 1st testify tomorrow and answer our many questions?"
Politico columnist Renato Mariotti tweeted, "Sam Bankman-Fried was just arrested pursuant to a sealed indictment. Typically an investigation like this takes many months. SBF made the DOJ’s case easy by incriminating himself on a daily basis on Twitter and elsewhere."
CEO of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried testifies during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill December 8, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
"Finally the Biden DOJ has done something right. Sam Bankman-Fried has been arrested by Bahamian police after the United States notified them that they're filing criminal charges against SBF," Act for America founder Brigitte Gabriel wrote.
Ron DeSantis deputy press secretary Jeremy Redfern joked, "BREAKING: SBF indicted on 10 counts of making Dems look bad."
"One of Semafor’s top investors has been arrested at his $40 million pad in the Bahamas," The Hill columnist Joe Concha commented.
Bone Fide Wealth president Douglas Boneparth tweeted, "SBF to post bail using FTX token."
"So, will the cameras in Sam Bankman-Fried's jail cell be in working order..." former investment banker Carol Roth wrote.
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and chief executive officer of FTX Cryptocurrency Derivatives Exchange, speaks during the Institute of International Finance (IIF) annual membership meeting in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fox News contributor Leo Terrell tweeted, "SBF has been arrested. Bad news for Democrats who took money from this clown!"
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Prior to Bankman-Fried’s arrest, it was also discovered that he donated sizable amounts of money to liberal media organizations such as The Intercept, Vox and ProPublica, which likely led to favorable coverage of him before his downfall. Other media organizations like the New York Times and the Washington Post were also reluctant to harshly condemn Bankman-Fried following his contribution to many progressive causes.