FTX founder facing new bribery charges
(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - Federal prosecutors have added bribery to the list of charges against Sam Bankman-Fried.
He's the co-founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
They say Bankman-Fried bribed "one or more" Chinese government officials with $40 million.
Bankman-Fried allegedly tried to pay off the officials in an effort to unfreeze accounts belonging to his hedge fund.
The accounts, which held more than a billion dollars of digital assets, were released after the payment was transferred.
This is the 13th criminal charge against Bankman-Fried.
He is out on a $250 million bond and already pleaded not guilty to eight criminal counts of fraud and conspiracy.
He has not yet been arraigned on five others counts.
A bail hearing is set for Thursday and a spokesman for Bankman-Fried declined to comment.
If convicted on all counts, he could face more than 155 years in prison.
A trial has been scheduled for October.
