Catching Up to FTX Lessons Learned in My Crusade Against Corruption, Fraud, and Bad Hair

Discover the secret history of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried

In Catching Up To FTX: Lessons Learned In My Crusade Against Corruption, Fraud, and Bad Hair, celebrated YouTuber and podcaster Ben Armstrong delivers the extraordinary and compelling story of the rise and fall of FTX and its well-known founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Tracking the history of crypto exchanges from the original Mt. Gox to FTX and Binance, the author describes the history of fraud that has characterized much of the industry.

Armstrong outlines the history of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried, including a first-hand account of what he saw in the Bahamas when the indicted crypto titan was extradited from his home to face dozens of criminal and regulatory charges in the United States. He also discusses:

• The weird and contradictory motives that drove Sam Bankman-Fried's brazen actions
• A blow-by-blow account of the downfall of Alameda Research, FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried
• The red flags that many ignored ? and a few didn't ? that preceded the collapse of FTX

The perfect book for anyone interested in crypto, finance, and corporate scandal, Catching Up To FTX will earn a spot on the bookshelves of everyone looking for an intense rollercoaster of a true story.

Acknowledgments ix

About the Author xi

Introduction 1

1 “Unhinged”: October 20, 2022 5

2 What’s Beef? 13

3 House of Cards 19

4 Finance Needs an Upgrade 27

5 What’s at Stake? 35

6 Rugs and Revolutions: A History of Crypto Exchanges 43

7 SBF: The Man behind the Myth 53

8 FTX: A Myth Born in a Bull Market 61

9 Bear Market 2022 69

10 Contagion 75

11 Scam Bankman Fried 83

12 Whistleblowers 89

13 The Bankless Debates 97

14 A Rival Goes in for the Kill 103

15 “1) What”: The Fall of FTX 109

16 Hip-Hop Politics 115

17 My Trip to the Bahamas 121

18 Side Quests 133

19 High Stakes 141

20 Justice? 151

21 The Final Showdown 159

22 Regulators, Mount Up! 169

Epilogue: Catching Up with the Bitsquad 179

Appendix: Timeline of Events 181

Glossary of Terms 183

Notes 187

Index 195