Megadonor and disgraced crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried burrowed his campaign cash so deep into the Democratic Party that lawmakers are now preparing internal investigations to be sure they’re rid of it — and prepared for any potential restitution to victims of Bankman-Fried’s crimes.
The campaign of Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) is currently conducting an internal assessment of any donations it may have received from political or professional associates of Bankman-Fried. Once those donations have been identified, the Torres campaign will set them aside for a fund it expects the Justice Department will set up to compensate the victims of the fallen crypto magnate’ crimes. Rep.-elect Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) is taking a similar tack. “We’re doing an internal audit to identify individuals who have ties or possible ties to Sam Bankman-Fried and will set aside those funds until we receive guidance on what to do with it,” a Frost spokesperson tells Rolling Stone. Rep.-elect Becca Balint (D-Vt.), who received more than $26,000 in donations from Bankman Fried’s colleague and allies, has also vowed to “hold funds in a separate account to await resolution and compensate victims,” her campaign manager told VTDigger.
Rep.-elect Greg Casar’s (D-Tex.) campaign, meanwhile, has identified some of those donations from Bankman-Fried allies it plans to set aside (though no conspirators have been indicted or named by federal prosecutors). That…
