The online community including some cryptocurrency figures has condemned the latest so-called “sympathy” article from The New York Times written about FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.
In the Dec. 26 article published titled “In the Bahamas, a Lingering Sympathy for Sam Bankman-Fried,” New York Times journalist Rob Copeland quotes local Bahamians who appeared to have mostly positive things to say about the cryptocurrency exchange founder.
One resident opined he had a “good heart,” with another local saying they “feel bad for him.” A resident interviewed for the article even said it “doesn’t make any sense” that Bankman-Fried’s alleged crimes landed him in prison.
The article suggests that the glowing reviews of Bankman-Fried by locals stem from his millions of dollars in donations to local charities, churches and government entities, including the police. The FTX founder’s plans to build a hotel and FTX’s head office there were considered another positive by locals.
Cryptonator, a self-described “crypto-degen,” said Bankman-Fried “did it like Pablo Escobar” with regard to his donations to local charities and the government. Escobar, a notorious Columbian narcoterrorist and drug lord, spent millions of dollars building infrastructure and donating to charity in an attempt to garner favor with locals.
SBF did it like Pablo Escobar:
‘[…] donated millions of dollars to a dizzying collection of Bahamian charities, churches and government entities —…
