Ex-FTX exec linked to on-line poker scandal donated $5,800 to George Santos
Daniel Friedberg, the previous FTX “chief regulatory officer” linked to an notorious on-line poker dishonest scandal, additionally gave the utmost doable donation to Rep. George Santos in the course of the disgraced Republican’s profitable bid for Congress.
The previous FTX government gave the utmost allowable donation of $5,800 to the Santos marketing campaign final June, based on Federal Election Fee filings.
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The Seattle-based lawyer listed his employer as “Alameda Analysis” — the doomed cryptocurrency hedge fund that collapsed out of business alongside FTX.
Friedberg informed the Seattle Instances, which first reported on the marketing campaign contributions Friday, that he donated to Santos on the advice of a good friend.
Santos has confronted bipartisan calls to resign from Congress following revelations that he fabricated key elements of his resume and background.
“Clearly he’s a horrible candidate however this was unknown to me on the time,” Friedberg informed the newspaper. He declined additional remark.
The filings confirmed that Friedberg additionally donated $2,900 to Michelle Bond, who staged an unsuccessful bid for a congressional seat in New York final yr. Bond is the girlfriend of former FTX government Ryan Salame — who alerted regulators within the Bahamas about alleged malfeasance on the firm final November.
The Santos marketing campaign donation is the newest hyperlink to controversy for Friedberg — whose FTX ties drew intense scrutiny after The Put up and different shops reported on his earlier work as an lawyer for UltimateBet.
The poker web site collapsed following revelations that sure UltimateBet associates had entry to a software program exploit dubbed “God Mode” that enabled them to bilk card gamers out of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} from 2005 to 2008. Actor Ben Affleck was among the many gamers reportedly victimized within the scheme, which was ultimately chronicled in a section on “60 Minutes.”
Within the leaked audio printed in 2013 and nonetheless extensively out there on-line, Friedberg suggested UltimateBet executives on the best way to reduce restitution funds to victims. Friedberg was by no means charged with against the law for his work with UltimateBet and there’s no indication he was ever investigated by authorities or regulators.
He later asserted to NBC Information that his assembly with UltimateBet executives was illegally recorded, although he didn’t deny its authenticity.
Friedberg is listed as eligible to follow legislation on the Washington state Bar Affiliation’s web site. A search of the affiliation’s on-line listing confirmed no pending or previous disciplinary actions towards him.
Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried faces as much as 115 years in jail on costs that he swindled billions of {dollars} in buyer cash that was purportedly used to fund a lavish way of life and prop up dangerous bets at Alameda. Bankman-Fried is at the moment below home arrest.
Friedberg, Bankman-Fried are amongst a number of FTX-linked executives or superstar backers who had been named as defendants in a sweeping class-action lawsuit filed in Florida federal courtroom.
Friedberg has been cooperating with federal investigators of their probe of FTX’s downfall since November, simply days after the platform tumbled out of business, based on Reuters.
In a declaration disclosed final month as a part of FTX chapter proceedings, Friedberg mentioned he solely discovered of an “$8 billion buyer deficit” final Nov. 7, days earlier than the corporate collapsed.
“Previous to this disclosure, I had no thought of any buyer deficit,” Friedberg mentioned, based on the submitting. “It was not my job as regulatory counsel to conduct a buyer proof of reserves; certainly, I’d don’t know how to do that.”
Friedberg mentioned he resigned from FTX as a result of he “now not trusted” Bankman-Fried or his shut associates.
