FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly contributed nearly $95,000 in donations to members of the House Financial Services Committee ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
According to federal records, this amount was given to at least 11 of the lawmakers who make up the committee investigating the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange company.
Another striking aspect is that most of the financial contributions Bankman-Fried reportedly made went to Democrats.
In fact, New York representative Ritchie Torres alone reportedly received $35,000 from various FTX-related donors.
"My ties to him are minimal," the Democrat expressed, claiming that the cryptocurrency company founder is a "pathological liar."
Another recipient of donations was New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Bankman-Fried himself reportedly donated $5,800 to him, but he also received separate donations of nearly $3,000 each from FTX executive Mark Wetjen.
Jake Auchincloss, the vice chairman of the investigation committee against the cryptocurrency company's founder, accepted a $5,800 contribution from Bankman-Fried, and another of the same amount from Wetjen.
The Massachusetts representative expressed that he had no intention of returning or donating to others the amount he received.
"I'm not sending money to a guy in a Bahamian jail, that's for sure. That money is going out the door, helping to elect Democrats," he said.
The FTX businessman also invested nearly $3,000 in the re-election campaign of Illinois Democrat Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia.
These lawmakers probing FTX got donations from Bankman-Fried and cronies https://t.co/NpH4DZ5zCY pic.twitter.com/Xwj56aXxHQ
— New York Post (@nypost) December 15, 2022
Joyce Beatty received $2,900. Cindy Axne also benefited from $8,000 which was split up in two separate donations.
FTX executive Ryan Salame reportedly donated nearly $6,000 to Lee Zeldin's election campaign.
Sean Casten received a total of $1,000. Tom Emmer also benefited from $11,600. Ted Budd was given almost $3,000 and Jim Himes received $2,800.
Although several legislators have already announced that they will donate the proceeds to charity, others have yet to make a statement.
