Sam Bankman-Fried has given mixed signals on his intentions to testify at a December 13 US Senate hearing into the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange.
Bakman-Fried (aka SBF) initially snubbed the request from the Senate Banking Committee by failing to respond by the December 8 deadline for the hearing.
But taking to Twitter today, SBF had a slight change of tone.
“I still do not have access to much of my data -- professional or personal, so there is a limit to what I will be able to say, and I won't be as helpful as I'd like. But as the committee still thinks it would be useful, I am willing to testify on the 13th,” said SBF.
He continued: “I will try to be helpful during the hearing, and to shed what light I can on FTX US's solvency and American customers, pathways that could return value to users internationally, what I think led to the crash, My own failings.”
1) I still do not have access to much of my data -- professional or personal. So there is a limit to what I will be able to say, and I won't be as helpful as I'd like.But as the committee still thinks it would be useful, I am willing to testify on the 13th. https://t.co/KR34BsNaG1
— SBF (@SBF_FTX) December 9, 2022
SBF’s Tweets ended with his patented form of self-flagellation, stating: “I had thought of myself as a model CEO, who wouldn't become lazy or disconnected. Which made it that much more destructive when I did.”
His change of heart may have been in response to comments made by chairwoman Maxine Waters of the House Committee on Financial Services, who Tweeted that “a subpoena is definitely on the table”.
Although US prosecutors have launched an investigation into market manipulation at FTX, no arrest warrant has been issued at this point, so he probably will not be met with handcuffs on touching US soil.