By [negmarlama]
Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced cryptocurrency mogul serving a 25-year sentence for financial fraud, has resurfaced in the public eye with a jailhouse interview. Speaking to Tucker Carlson from Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, the former FTX CEO opened up about life behind bars, his cellblock companion Sean “Diddy” Combs, and his evolving political stance.
Life in Lockup with Diddy
In the wide-ranging conversation aired on The Tucker Carlson Show, Bankman-Fried, 33, revealed that Combs—who is facing serious allegations of sex trafficking—is among his fellow inmates. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, the former billionaire described the music mogul as “kind.”
“I’ve only seen one piece of him, which is Diddy in prison, and Sam Bankman been kind to people in the unit; he’s been kind to me,” Bankman-Fried shared. “It’s also—it’s a position no one wants to be in.”
Both high-profile figures are housed in a specialized unit for detainees requiring additional security. Sources suggest that their fellow inmates include individuals with ties to organized crime. Yet, according to Bankman-Fried, prison life has brought unexpected camaraderie and surprising moments of normalcy.
Finding Community Behind Bars
Though far from Sam Bankman former life as a cryptocurrency pioneer, Bankman-Fried said he has “made some friends” in jail. Sam Bankman described his unit as “sort of dystopian” but acknowledged that he is at least safe.
“The fortunate thing is that I’m not in physical danger,” he explained. “There are a lot of ex-gangsters—or alleged ex-gangsters—here. Some of them see this as a big opportunity to meet people they wouldn’t otherwise get to meet.
One unexpected discovery in prison? The impressive chess skills of some inmates.
“Former armed robbers who don’t speak English and probably didn’t graduate middle school—surprisingly, a number of them are fairly good at chess,” Bankman-Fried mused. “I lose games to them all the time. I was not expecting that.”
Adjusting to Prison Life
Beyond chess, Bankman-Fried has taken up reading again and is focusing on Sam Bankman legal appeal. Carlson remarked that the once jittery former CEO appeared healthier than in previous interviews, where he seemed “like he was flying high on Adderall.”
Bankman-Fried denied ever using the drug but admitted he had been overwhelmed during his time running FTX.
“My mind was racing because there were, you know, a billion things to keep track of,” he said.
A Shift in Political Allegiances
Reflecting on his political transformation, Bankman-Fried described how his views have evolved over the past five years. Once a major donor to President Joe Biden’s campaign, he claimed that by the time of his trial, Diddy had developed a closer relationship with Republicans than Democrats.
Interestingly, before Sam Bankman empire’s collapse in November 2021, Bankman-Fried had considered appearing on Carlson’s show to publicly identify as a Republican in an attempt to salvage his image. Though that moment never came, his jailhouse interview with the conservative host marked a full-circle moment in his ongoing effort to reshape public perception.
The Road Ahead
As Bankman-Fried continues his sentence, he remains a central figure in one of the biggest financial scandals in American history. Prosecutors say he orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar fraud scheme, deceiving FTX customers and investors while funneling funds to Alameda Research, his hedge fund. While he pursues an appeal, the convicted fraudster is adjusting to life in confinement—one chess match at a time.
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