Caroline Ellison Sentencing: Former FTX Exec To Spend 2 Years in Prison Over Crypto Fraud

Key Takeaways

• Caroline Ellison’s cooperation with prosecutors led to a lighter sentence.
• Ellison was sentenced in a New York court on Sept. 24.
• Ellison’s legal team pushed to redact sensitive information from her sentencing documents.

Months after rendering “extraordinary cooperation with the government” that helped bring down several top FTX executives and secure a 25-year prison sentence for her former partner, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), Caroline Ellison has learned her fate.

The former Alameda Research chief was sentenced in a New York court on Sept. 24 to spend 24 months in prison. Her lawyers urged the court to seal sensitive information from the hearing, arguing that disclosure would only exacerbate the harassment she has faced.

Sentence Arrived

Caroline Ellison, a former executive at Alameda Research, was sentenced  to two years in prison and ordered to forfeit $11 billion for her role in the FTX fraud.

Despite her substantial cooperation with prosecutors, which led to the conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried, Judge Lewis Kaplan imposed a prison sentence.

Ellison’s lawyers had argued for leniency, citing her cooperation as a mitigating factor. However, Judge Kaplan emphasized the gravity of the fraud, noting that it was one of the most serious financial crimes ever committed.

The sentencing of Ellison is likely to set a precedent for the other two main cooperators in the case, Gary Wang and Nishad Singh. Bankman-Fried, the mastermind of the FTX fraud, is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence.

Ellison’s Cooperation Brought a Lighter Sentence

As Caroline Ellison received her sentence, her collaboration with prosecutors proved to be the lifeline that saved her from a crippling penalty.

Ellison’s lawyers pushed  for a lenient sentence in a last-ditch bid to sway the court. They cited her “extraordinary cooperation with the government” and the relatively minor spoils she reaped from her involvement in the FTX debacle.

Ellison’s lawyers painted a picture of an executive who, though embroiled in serious wrongdoing, never sought to line her own pockets.

They argued that she refrained from taking out large loans and held a small stake in FTX, less than 1%.

“While Caroline committed serious crimes to further Mr. Bankman-Fried’s interests, she notably did virtually nothing to protect her own,” the filing stated, a tacit acknowledgment that her loyalty to her former boss and romantic partner was her greatest sin.

A lighter sentence for Ellison contrasts the 25-year prison term handed down to Bankman-Fried. SBF had reportedly sought to silence her through intimidation and blackmail during his time on bail.

Meanwhile, other former FTX executives, including Wang and Singh, will face sentencing in the coming weeks.

Ellison’s Desperate Bid for Anonymity

In addition to requesting a lighter sentence, Ellison’s lawyers have launched an 11-hour appeal to New York Judge Kaplan. They urged him to redact sensitive information from her sentencing documents.

The request, filed on Sept. 9, seeks to protect the identities of those who have penned letters of support on her behalf, as well as her medical history and living arrangements, from the public’s prying eyes.

According to the filing, the request is in line with judicial guidelines that prioritize the protection of innocent third parties. The court filing noted that “the privacy interests of innocent third parties should weigh heavily against disclosure in a court’s balancing equation.”

To bolster their case, the defense team cites precedents where judges granted similar requests for confidentiality. They underscored that such measures are neither unprecedented nor unreasonable.

They also highlighted the media frenzy surrounding Ellison since news of her association with Bankman-Fried surfaced. This includes the unseemly spectacle of headlines dissecting her personal life.

In a thinly veiled swipe at her former partner, Ellison’s lawyers also referenced the fact that Bankman-Fried himself had essayed to release her private information to the media. This is a bold attempt to besmirch her reputation and intimidate her into silence.

By seeking to protect her personal life, Ellison’s lawyers are, in effect, drawing a line in the sand and refusing to let her former associates wage a war of attrition against her in the court of public opinion.

Where Will Ellison Serve Her Time?

Ellison had already entered a guilty plea as part of her agreement to cooperate with authorities.

Cooperative witnesses frequently receive leniency, particularly if they assist the government in catching larger fish, such as Bankman-Fried.

Ellison might end up in the same prison as fellow white-collar offender Martha Stewart . Ellison could also stay in the women-only FPC Alderson, also known as “Camp Cupcake.” FPC Bryan is the only other stand-alone federal prison camp for women in the U.S..

Experts Predicted Ellison’s Sentence, Many Expect Leniency

Justin Paperny  is a former UBS Group AG broker who served an 18-month sentence for fraud. He believed that if Ellison went to jail, it would be for a short time. She may go to a minimum-security facility for non-violent offenders.

Tim Howard, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan, stated: “If you are joining Team USA, you have to make financial remuneration consistent with the facts. On that, you don’t get off easy.”

Paperny remarked: “They’re very aggressive in collecting. The money from the sale or refinance of your home goes to the government, so you are unable to do either.”

Chris Rice, a partner at the tech executive recruitment agency Riviera Partners, said the risk was “too high.” He added: “I don’t think they’ll be able to function within an organization at the same level as they did in the past.”

Sealed by Ellison’s Damning Testimonies

Sam Bankman-Fried

Sam Bankman-Fried, the embattled former cryptocurrency magnate, will spend 25 years in prison.

During the month-long trial of Bankman-Fried in October 2023, the prosecution presented testimony from over a dozen witnesses, in stark contrast to the defense’s three. Among the most compelling evidence was testimony from several FTX executives, notably including Caroline Ellison.

The prosecution argued that billions of FTX customer funds illicitly went to Alameda Research, Bankman-Fried’s trading firm, to settle substantial loans acquired from cryptocurrency lenders.

As the CEO of Alameda Research, Ellison’s testimony was particularly damning. She admitted that Alameda had indiscriminately used FTX’s deposits for various needs under Bankman-Fried’s instructions, which included committing financial misdeeds.

One specific instance Ellison highlighted was Bankman-Fried’s directive to prepare seven different balance sheets to deceive Genesis. The latter was a primary lender to Alameda when it demanded repayment of a $500 million loan.

According to Ellison’s testimony, the duo decided on a fabricated balance sheet that significantly downplayed Alameda’s debts. The sheet also omitted any reference to borrowing from FTX customer funds.

Ellison revealed that, throughout its operation, Alameda misappropriated approximately $14 billion from FTX customers, underscoring the magnitude of the alleged financial misconduct.

Deltec Bank

Deltec Bank and Trust, a Bahamian bank with deep ties to the cryptocurrency industry, received allegations of playing a pivotal role in misallocating FTX customer deposits to Alameda Research.

The lawsuit , fueled by damning messages and testimonies from Ellison, exposed Deltec’s alleged complicity in the scheme.

As part of her settlement, Ellison revealed that Deltec provided billions in credit to support the issuance of the stablecoin Tether, entangling the bank in the web of deceit that ultimately led to FTX’s downfall.

The bank’s questionable dealings, including its long history of serving as a key banking partner for Tether and publicly vouching for the stablecoin’s reserve value, have now come under intense scrutiny. This raised serious concerns about its role in the scandal.

With additional reporting from Prashant Jha and Teuta Franjkovic.