The Atlantic

Sam Bankman-Fried’s Losing Game

He made wild bets during his time at the top of the crypto industry. Now he’s facing consequences for treating it all like a game.
Sam Bankman-Fried at Manhattan Federal Court on June 15, 2023
Source: Michael M. Santiago / Getty

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Sam Bankman-Fried was uncommonly comfortable with gambling and taking risks. Today, he received a sentence of 25 years in prison, and a judge determined he was sorry for making bad bets—but not remorseful for playing his dangerous game.

First, here are three new stories from The Atlantic:


Out of the Game

Sam Bankman-Fried is a notorious gamer. He has played video games in the company of journalists, at meetings with his

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