--- title: "You Have Got To See This Unhinged SBF Memo" description: "A document penned by former FTX head Sam Bankman-Fried has come to light — and reader, it is absolutely buckwild. " date: "2023-10-13" modified: "2023-10-13" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/sbf-memo-trial" categories: - "Blockchain" - "Future Society" tags: - "ftx" - "sam bankman-fried" - "sbf" - "the digest" --- # You Have Got To See This Unhinged SBF Memo ![A document penned by former FTX head Sam Bankman-Fried has come to light — and reader, it is absolutely buckwild. ]() *NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at Manhattan Federal Court for a court appearance on March 30, 2023 in New York City. A revised indictment was filed in federal court accusing Bankman-Fried of paying a $40 million bribe to one or more Chinese government officials. He has already been charged with eight criminal counts of fraud, conspiracy, and money-laundering offenses which include making illegal political contributions. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) \Image: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images\* ## Here's Sammy A document penned by fallen crypto angel Sam Bankman-Fried, which his lawyers didn't want prosecutors to use, has come to light — and reader, it is absolutely buckwild. "I find it really fascinating to stroll through uncanny vallies \[sic\]," [Bankman-Fried wrote in the document]() obtained by Molly White, the force behind the [hilarious "Web3 Is Going Just Great" blog](). "Most people do not. Most people fucking hate it." The document ended up being presented as evidence in the federal government's massive fraud case against the former FTX head over his [alleged financial crimes]() that went to trial last week — the first of two separate proceedings, with the [second slated to begin next March](). The whole thing is worth a read — unless you *particularly* value your sanity — but this "approximate list of what matters" makes for a great overview of just how unhinged the document is. ![]() If the above list bears to you a striking resemblance to the repetitive "[all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy]()" manuscript from Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece adaption of Stephen King's "The Shining," you're far from alone. "I think he's been working too hard," one [user of the platform formerly known as Twitter]() wrote, alongside a screenshot from the iconic 1980 film. ## Tense Context The memo, [White explained](), was created by SBF as an attempt to smooth out tensions between [Alameda Research](), FTX's sister firm and [alleged slush fund]() which his then-on-off girlfriend [Caroline Ellison]() ran as CEO, and Modulo Capital, which was run by another of his exes, Xiaoyun "Lily" Zhang. "Can't imagine why things were strained," [the researcher quipped](). As if the document's contents itself weren't outrageous enough, the context surrounding the memo itself is enough to make any court-watcher's head spin. Before acquiring this bizarre three-page epistle, White, who [has been covering the trial in her newsletter](), heard tell of a strange exchange between Bankman-Fried's lawyers and the prosecutors in his case. Mark Cohen, the ex-CEO's attorney, attempted — unsuccessfully, in the end — to prevent the state from showing the document to the court. "What conceivable relevance is it that he wrote these items," Cohen argued, per a journalist White knew who'd attended the trial IRL, "only to show that he’s some sort of crazy person?" That question, like many of the others raised by the government's case against SBF, is unfortunately in the eye of the beholder — but we've gotta say, with [everything else]() [we've learned]() about the onetime crypto king over the last few months, it's not looking good. **More on SBF:** [*Caroline Ellison Testifies That SBF's Strange Philosophy Justified Lying and Stealing*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()