The S.B.F. Chronicles
William D. Cohan
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June 21, 2023
S.B.F. and an ‘O.C.’ Star Walk Into a Hotel…
Before Bankman-Fried’s downfall, the actor Ben McKenzie engaged in on-and-off correspondence with the alleged crypto scammer. Nearly a year later, McKenzie reflects on how S.B.F.’s purported crimes were “even dumber and simpler than I thought.”
William D. Cohan
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January 18, 2023
The S.B.F. Chronicles, Part 5: The Mysteries of Stanford
Joe Bankman and Barbara Fried, the parents of disgraced crypto prince S.B.F., remain calm and defiant and completely supportive of their son, despite the mounting legal storm, according to a person who spoke with them recently. This is the fifth in a series.
William D. Cohan
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January 11, 2023
The S.B.F. Chronicles, Part 4: Alameda, We Have a Problem
Among the first to sniff out the infamous balance sheet of Alameda Research, S.B.F.’s now defunct hedge fund, was a young doctor turned financial sleuth whose analysis helped facilitate FTX’s demise. This is the fourth in a series.
William D. Cohan
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January 4, 2023
The S.B.F. Chronicles, Part 3: The Big Short
Back when Bankman-Fried was buying arena naming rights and casting Larry David in commercials, the short-seller Marc Cohodes smelled something funky. “Who would give this mop-headed, dyslexic, A.D.D. guy a dime on some crazy strategy?” as he told me. This is the third in a series.
William D. Cohan
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December 28, 2022
The S.B.F. Chronicles, Part 2: Schmuck Insurance
During a sideline conversation at a fintech conference, some 15 months ago, S.B.F. offered some stunning revelations about how the sausage was made at FTX. This is the second in a series.
William D. Cohan
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December 21, 2022
The S.B.F. Chronicles, Part 1: The Bridge Loan to Nowhere
A voyage to the Middle East with Anthony Scaramucci in search of $1 billion led to a meeting with M.B.S.—followed by a peculiar call from S.B.F.’s dad. This piece is the first in a series focused on early S.B.F. warning signs.