Behind bars, Sam Bankman-Fried has found a new form of currency: bags of rice. The former FTX founder, awaiting transfer to a federal prison to serve a 25-year sentence after being convicted of wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy charges, is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
In his first jailhouse interview with Puck News, the 32-year-old stated that rice “has become one of the currencies of the realm inside MDC.” He joked that “the arbitrage opportunities (on rice) in jail were better than anything he experienced trading crypto.”
As a renowned vegan, Bankman-Fried revealed that his diet primarily consists of rice and beans, as he found the vegan meals provided to be “inedible” and “literally smelled like s–t.” The interviewer, William D. Cohan, estimated that the former billionaire has lost at least 25 pounds since his incarceration.
Bankman-Fried described his living conditions, sharing a bunk bed in a large open room with 35 other men and four television sets tuned to various channels. He lamented having “no privacy” and suffering from “extreme boredom,” sometimes being disturbed at night by others seeking to barter with his bags of rice, though it was unclear what he trades them for.
Despite being housed with convicted murderers, Bankman-Fried said he does not fear for his safety. He expressed a preference for watching movies or playing video games on a tablet without internet access over the television channels available.
Bankman-Fried also mentioned being allowed to take prescription medications, which he claims help him think clearly ahead of his legal battle to appeal his conviction for misusing FTX user funds.
Throughout his firm’s collapse, Bankman-Fried has maintained his desire to repay victims in full. Recently, FTX informed a bankruptcy court that the crypto exchange has accumulated enough funds to fully compensate customers who lost money, with potential surplus remaining after settling debts.