--- title: "Sam Bankman-Fried’s Delusions Included That He Could Become President, Former Girlfriend Says" description: "Caroline Ellison testified that Sam Bankman-Fried once told her there was a five percent chance that he would become the president." date: "2023-10-10" modified: "2023-10-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/sam-bankman-fried-president" categories: - "Blockchain" - "Future Society" tags: - "caroline ellison" - "ftx" - "sam bankman-fried" - "the digest" --- # Sam Bankman-Fried’s Delusions Included That He Could Become President, Former Girlfriend Says ![Caroline Ellison testified that Sam Bankman-Fried once told her there was a five percent chance that he would become the president.]() *\Image: ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images/Futurism\* ## SBF 2024 Disgraced crypto baron Sam Bankman-Fried is on [trial this week](), facing several counts of fraud and conspiracy following the [spectacular collapse]() of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Today, his [ex-girlfriend]() and former CEO of sister hedge fund Alameda Caroline Ellison has [taken the stand](), shedding light on even more eyebrow-raising details regarding the former billionaire's blockbuster fall from grace — and, interestingly, delusions of grandeur. Case in point, the [*Wall Street Journal* reports]() that according to Ellison's testimony, Bankman-Fried once told her there was a five percent chance that he would eventually become the president of the United States, a wild assertion that tracks with what we already know about Bankman-Fried's well-documented [warped view of the world and his place in it](). ## On and Off Again Ellison also confirmed her on-and-off-again romantic relationship with the former crypto baron. Her appearance in a Manhattan courtroom today is the first time they've seen each other face-to-face since FTX and Alameda collapsed in November, [per the *New York Times*](). "We started sleeping together on and off in the summer of 2020," Ellison said on the stand, as [quoted by New York-based journalist Matthew Russell Lee](). "We dated and broke up." When asked what Bankman-Fried told her about his ambitions, Ellison said "that he would be president." "Of what?" an incredulous assistant United States attorney Nicolas Roos asked her. "The United States," she replied. Bankman-Fried donated millions of dollars to political causes before FTX's downfall, including a $5 million contribution to US president Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election campaign, according to a new book about Bankman-Fried and the collapse of FTX by author Michael Lewis. The disgraced CEO also met with several high-ranking US politicians and even explored "the legality of paying Donald Trump himself not to run for president," [according to the book](). Bankman-Fried also was — and could possibly still be — an "effective altruist," a philanthropic movement ostensibly dedicated to solving the world's problems by identifying and funding the most effective solutions. In reality, Bankman-Fried has expressed that kind of Silicon Valley-branded utilitarianism in the form of large donations to charities, [harebrained plans]() for human genetic experimentation, and plenty of [philanthropic grandstanding](). ## Damning Indictments During her testimony today, Ellison also accused Bankman-Fried of ordering her to take deposits from FTX customers to finance Alameda investments, totaling a stunning $14 billion. "He directed me to commit these crimes," she said during today's proceedings. In short, given the damning charges and mounting pile of evidence, it's unlikely Bankman-Fried will be sworn in as the president of the United States any time soon. **More on the tale:** *[Caroline Ellison Says Sam Bankman-Fried "Directed" Her to Commit Crimes]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()