FTX Exec Investigated for Illegal Donations to Girlfriend’s Congressional Campaign: WSJ

An govt from the bankrupt cryptocurrency change FTX is beneath investigation for allegedly making unlawful donations to his girlfriend’s political marketing campaign, in response to a report by the Wall Avenue Journal.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are inspecting a collection of donations by former FTX govt Ryan Salame to his then-girlfriend Michelle Bond throughout her bid to win the Republican nomination for a congressional district on Lengthy Island. Particularly, they’re taking a look at cash transferred from Salame to Bond, in addition to loans the candidate made to her personal marketing campaign. 

Bond, whose run was supported by outstanding conservatives, obtained simply over $56,000 in donations from Salame and different FTX workers, in response to Federal Election Fee data.

In complete, Bond obtained over $659,000 in contributions for her marketing campaign in 2022. 

A consultant for Salame didn’t return a request for remark from Decrypt. 

Salame has floated within the crosshairs of federal investigators for the reason that collapse of FTX final 12 months, and the arrest of its disgraced CEO Sam Bankman-Fried on costs for unlawful political contributions. 

Previously the top of FTX Bahamas, Salame is named a prolific political donor who has given closely to Republican candidates, together with Bond’s fellow Lengthy Island Republican, Rep. George Santos.

Two days earlier than FTX collapsed, Salame reportedly flagged questionable transactions to authorities within the Bahamas, triggering an investigation into funds transferred to Alameda Analysis.

In April, FBI brokers raided a Washington D.C. house belonging to Salame as a part of an investigation into Bankman-Fried’s political operation. Federal authorities are wanting into an estimated $24 million in donations made by Salame through the 2022 midterm elections, funds that they allege was taken from FTX’s buyer funds.

For her half, Bond ran on a marketing campaign that included pro-cryptocurrency positions, though they didn’t seem to determine prominently in her marketing campaign. She beforehand served as president of the Affiliation for Digital Asset Markets, a lobbying group that advocates for pro-crypto insurance policies in Washington D.C.