A newly surfaced photo of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried shows him looking different nearly three months into his imprisonment at a federal prison in Brooklyn. The former CEO is seen with overgrown facial hair and looking noticeably thinner while posing alongside five other inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center.
The photo, shared exclusively by independent crypto reporter Tiffany Fong, is reportedly the first and only image of Bankman-Fried to emerge since he entered custody in August 2023. The photo was allegedly taken on December 17. Fong also interviewed an ex-inmate named G Lock, who offered insights into Bankman-Fried’s experience behind bars.
“He’s obviously lost some weight, and I’ve heard he’s not showering very much. He’s not as clean-shaven as he used to be, but he’s obviously going through a lot right now,” G Lock told Fong. He described Bankman-Fried as “more gangster” than fellow white-collar inmate Martin Shkreli.
While Bankman-Fried has largely avoided trouble thus far, his unkempt appearance and interactions with other prisoners have become frequent topics within crypto markets. Many viewed the photo as confirmation that his circumstances have markedly declined from his past life as a millennial crypto mogul known for wearing shorts and t-shirts.
The leaked snapshot comes at a precarious time for Bankman-Fried. He is scheduled to appear with the new legal team in court on March 28 to face sentencing after pleading guilty to fraud for his role in FTX’s multi-billion dollar collapse.
While he faces decades behind bars, FTX’s efforts to repay customers and creditors could help him receive a lighter punishment. Nonetheless, the photo implies his once-lavish lifestyle is now a distant memory.
