Crypto: Tiffany Fong Interviews Former FTX CEO

Crypto expert journalist Tiffany Fong has again had the opportunity to interview Sam Bankman Fried, the former CEO of crypto exchange FTX. 

What really stirred the news, however, was the headline in the New York Post commenting on her interview: 

“Sam Bankman-Fried ‘surprisingly optimistic’ at meeting with sexy crypto influencer.”

The headline of the piece seems to have annoyed the journalist for a variety of reasons, first of all because of the inappropriate headline, which can be defined as sexist for all intents and purposes, but also because of the article’s thumbnail featuring the influencer journalist, in a bikini. 

The controversial New York Post article on Tiffany Fong and the interview with FTX founder Sam Bankman Fried

Although the description dictated by the New York Post refers to an unprofessional interview by the journalist, Tiffany Fong wanted to specify that she had a very professional meeting with Sam Bankman Fried and not in a bikini as shown by the NYPost. 

The controversy starts from the assumption that the New York Post article implies that former FTX CEO Sam Bankman Fried accepted Fong’s interview, solely because of her physical appearance. 

Now critics are divided from those who think that the New York paper’s use of this kind of language was merely used for a clickbait headline, but there are those who think differently and believe it is dictated by more than misogynistic behavior. Either way, both hypotheses put a professional like Tiffany Fong in a bad light. 

Here is an excerpt from the New York Post article:

“The convenient home arrest of bad boy Sam Bankman-Fried was brightened Tuesday by a visit from a sexy single influencer who said he seemed “surprisingly upbeat” ahead of his trial on multiple fraud charges, The Post has learned.”

However, The New York Post is not the first to question Fong’s opportunity to interview Bankman-Fried. Today, a user named Timbo speculated on Twitter that Fong had connections to SBF and helped him defeat Celsius. The tweet reads: 

“Tiffany was the main leaker for Celsius before the incident. SBF is accused of being behind the Celsius incident. Fast forward. Tiffany is the first to talk to SBF after the FTX crash.”

Sam Bankman Fried’s decent life under house arrest

House arrest in Palo Alto seems to be to the liking of the former FTX CEO, apparently Sam Bankman Fried leads a very dignified lifestyle between daily jogs, house calls and armed guards defending the home. But clearly this life also comes with restrictions: an ankle monitor and outings limited only to certain circumstances. 

The mansion in Palo Alto borders the Stanford University campus; it is a mansion worth $4 million and has already become a tourist attraction for the curious. 

However, death threats made to Bankman Fried caused the mansion to be fenced off on both sides and forced the family to shell out $10,000 a week for a private security company. 

Fong was one of the first to interview Bankman-Fried after the exchange failed in November, and is expected to write about the interview after the vacations.

“Last night I met with Sam Bankman-Fried.

I didn’t write anything in particular about our conversation, I am just sharing it because I am getting some questions about it. I am still on vacation and visiting family in SF, so please be patient.”

Difficult plea deal for Sam Bankman Fried

Apparently, while pleading guilty, there is very little chance for Sam Banman Fried to come close to a plea deal with the prosecution. The FTX founder in all likelihood will not be able to offset all the charges he faces at trial. 

The deal that prosecutors will present to the former CEO will not be at all favorable, Sam Bankman Fried is unable to offset all charges, particularly the two counts of wire fraud and the six counts of conspiracy. 

More news will be leaked after 3 January, when Judge Lewis Kaplan will hear Bankman Fried. The new judge was assigned after previous judge Ronnie Abrams resigned due to conflicts of interest with FTX.