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Episode 816

Going Infinite: Michael Lewis Discusses the Rise and Fall of FTX Founder and Crypto Tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried

November 2, 2023
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About the Guest

Michael Lewis

Best-Selling Author of Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon
Michael Lewis is the best-selling author of books which include Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, The Blind Side, The Big Short, The Undoing Project, and The Premonition. Michael is also the moderator for the podcast 'Against the Rules' where he covers topics surrounding the idea of fairness in American life. His most recent book is Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, where he dives into the mind of the disgraced founder of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried and offers his perspective on high-frequency trading, cryptocurrencies, philanthropy, bankruptcy, and the justice system.

Episode Overview

816: Michael Lewis joins Peter High in a discussion about his latest book, Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, and the insights he gleaned from his research into FTX and the disgraced founder, Sam Bankman-Fried. He shares how the topic stumbled into his lap, what interested him about the story, and why luck played a role in the story’s success. Michael Lewis pulls anecdotes from his book and talks about getting to know the crypto tycoon, learning about his upbringing, and understanding how the concept of ‘effective altruism’ set SBF on his eventual path. He talks about the unconventional business structure of FTX, the skepticism he has around cryptocurrency in general, and his unique perspective on whether or not the crypto startup founder is criminally crooked or just chaotically disorganized.

 

““There's no black and white in Sam Bankman-Fried's world. It's all shades of grey.”"

Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Cisco's Panoptica

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