Sam Bankman-Fried loses bid to overturn crypto fraud conviction

2026-06-12 13:19:36 UTC / Reuters

By Luc Cohen

June 12, 2026 1:19 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary

• Bankman-Fried convicted over FTX fraud at 2023 trial
• Former cryptocurrency executive argued he had funds to cover customer losses
• Bankman-Fried is seeking a pardon from President Donald ​Trump

NEW YORK, June 12 (Reuters) – Sam Bankman-Fried on Friday lost his bid to overturn his fraud conviction ‌and 25-year prison sentence over the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange he founded.

In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel of the Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said prosecutors’ evidence against Bankman-Fried “was, conservatively stated, robust.”

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“While he was publicly reassuring customers, investors and regulators that FTX customer funds were ​safe, he was simultaneously using FTX as his own personal piggy bank, spending customer funds on real estate, ​political contributions, and investments,” Circuit Judge Barrington Parker wrote on behalf of the panel.

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Bankman-Fried’s lawyers did ⁠not immediately respond to a request for comment. They may next ask all the active judges on the 2nd Circuit to hear ​the case, or ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case.

Bankman-Fried is also seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump, ​according to the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney. Neither the White House nor the Justice Department immediately responded to requests for comment.

‘FRAUD OF EPIC PROPORTIONS’

Bankman-Fried, who had been one of the cryptocurrency sector’s most influential figures and a multibillionaire before FTX’s spectacular collapse in 2022, was ​found guilty on seven felony charges by a federal jury in Manhattan in 2023.

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Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office said ​he stole $8 billion from FTX customers to plug losses at his crypto-focused hedge fund, Alameda Research, in what they termed a “fraud of epic proportions.”

Bankman-Fried had ‌pleaded not ⁠guilty to the two counts of fraud and five counts of conspiracy that he faced. At his trial, he admitted to making mistakes running FTX, but testified that he never stole funds.

In appealing the conviction, Bankman-Fried’s defense lawyers argued that U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw the trial, improperly prevented Bankman-Fried from introducing evidence to back up his belief that FTX had ​enough funds to cover customer withdrawals.

The ​appeals court disagreed, pointing ⁠to legal precedent holding that fraud occurs the moment a defendant tricks someone into handing over money or property, even if the defendant intends to eventually make the victim whole.

blob:https://www.reuters.com/8beb6d83-8190-4e7d-a642-ee693a762c37

“FTX customers were ​defrauded as soon as Bankman-Fried transferred their money to Alameda regardless of how strongly he ​believed he might ⁠later return the money,” Parker wrote.

BANKMAN-FRIED ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE IN 2044

Before FTX collapsed, Bankman-Fried was a rising star in the rough-and-tumble crypto industry who burnished his reputation with lavish philanthropic and political donations.

At his March 2024 sentencing hearing, Kaplan said Bankman-Fried knew his actions ⁠were wrong ​but “made a very bad bet about the likelihood of getting caught.”

Three of ​Bankman-Fried’s former deputies pleaded guilty over their involvement in the case and testified against their onetime boss at his trial.

Bankman-Fried is being held at a low-security federal prison ​near Santa Barbara, California. He is eligible for release in 2044.

Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama

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伊朗：备忘录接近完成 美方称伊朗同意弃核

2026年6月12日 23:41 / 联合早报

5月15日，伊朗外交部长阿巴斯·阿拉格齐抵达伊朗驻印度新德里大使馆，准备举行新闻发布会。 （路透社）

伊朗外长阿拉格齐说，旨在解决美以对伊战争的“伊斯兰堡谅解备忘录”已“从未如此接近”达成，但他敦促媒体在备忘录最终定稿前不要对其内容进行猜测。

路透社引述阿拉格齐星期五（6月12日）的话说，伊朗将在适当时候向公众公布所有细节，他称这是德黑兰负责任和透明的做法。

白宫官员：伊朗同意终止核计划

一名白宫官员则告诉法新社，伊朗已同意根据与美国达成的协议终止其核计划并销毁核材料。与此同时，双方对协议的描述却截然不同。

这名高级政府官员说，德黑兰还同意开放霍尔木兹海峡，并且在履行其在“基于绩效的协议”下的承诺之前，不会收到任何冻结的资金。

Judge continues to block Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund

June 12, 2026 / 11:52 AM EDT / CBS News

Alexandria, Virginia— A federal judge on Friday continued to block the Justice Department’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, expressing skepticism with the Trump administration’s claims that the controversial program is not moving forward.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema granted a preliminary injunction that indefinitely prevents the Trump administration from creating or operating the controversial fund. She had issued an order last month that temporarily blocked the Justice Department from taking any action related to the fund to ensure that no payouts were made while she considered a request for longer relief sought by plaintiffs challenging the program.

Brinkema gave the government one week to submit a sworn declaration signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, under penalty of perjury, that asserts that the fund will not move forward. If the Justice Department submits the declaration, the judge said she is likely to drop the case.

During a brief hearing, Brinkema rejected the Justice Department’s arguments that the case is moot because of Blanche’s contention that the department is not moving forward with the fund. Andrew Block, a Justice Department lawyer, had also said in court papers that the fund “had not been set up and is now not going forward.”

But Brinkema said none of those statements about the fund’s future were made under penalty of perjury, so “that means the issue really is not moot.” She also cited recent statements from President Trump expressing support for the fund as demonstrating a lack of “uncontestable evidence” that the program would not be revived in some form.

Brinkema also questioned Block about why Blanche hasn’t rescinded an order from May 18 that established the fund, or committed to writing his assertion that it would not be moving forward. Block said he hadn’t spoken to the acting attorney general about the matter.

In response, the judge said she couldn’t believe, “given the significance of the case,” that Block would not have spoken with Blanche about why he hasn’t rescinded the order creating the “anti-weaponization” fund, and said it creates a “huge gap” in the case record.

While Block, who appeared alone on behalf of the Justice Department, noted that no members have been appointed to administer the fund, Brinkema was unpersuaded.

She called it “problematic” that nearly $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars could go to people who were convicted of crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

The judge also read directly from a friend-of-the-court brief submitted by Sens. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, and Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, that raised concerns with the fund, and said the public interest in the case is “very, very strong” in support of the plaintiffs suing the Trump administration over the program.

The two senators said the fund presented an “immediate and dire threat” to the constitutional order and was designed to provide payouts to people involved in the Jan. 6 assault.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is representing the plaintiffs challenging the fund, lauded the decision from Brinkema.

“This ruling is a significant victory for the Constitution, the rule of law, and people in America,” she said in a statement. “The court recognized the serious legal concerns raised by the Trump-Vance administration’s attempt to create a secretive, taxpayer-funded compensation program operating outside the constitutional safeguards that govern public spending. Despite the administration’s shifting explanations about the future of the slush fund, the court’s order ensures that taxpayer dollars cannot be distributed through this unlawful scheme while the courts fully consider the serious constitutional issues at stake. We look forward to continuing this challenge on behalf of our clients.”

The Justice Department announced the fund last month as part of a deal to settle a civil lawsuit Mr. Trump filed against the IRS in January over the leak of his tax returns by a former government contractor. The $1.776 billion fund aimed to “provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare,” according to the Justice Department.

The settlement gave five people appointed by the attorney general the authority to distribute payouts. The Justice Department did not specify who could benefit from the fund, but shortly after it was announced, several people convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack and Trump allies said they planned to apply for relief.

市场预期美国和伊朗正接近达成和平协议以结束这场扰乱能源市场的战争。受此影响，油气价格延续跌势。 （法新社）

市场预期美国和伊朗正接近达成和平协议以结束这场扰乱能源市场的战争。受此影响，油气价格延续跌势。

彭博社报道，美国西得克萨斯中质原油（WTI）期货价格一度下跌5.1%至近两个月来的低位，欧洲天然气期货价格一度下跌8.4%。

伊朗半官方的迈赫尔通讯社报道称，伊朗正与美国商讨共有14项条款的协议草案，其中包括解除石油制裁。该报道称，这项协议仍需获得伊朗当局的通过。

美国总统特朗普早些时候说，与伊朗的和平协议最早可能在本周末签署，并取消了此前宣布对伊朗的空袭。

霍尔木兹海峡的航运风险依然存在，据福克斯新闻报道，美军昨晚击落了两架伊朗单向攻击无人机，这些无人机似乎意在袭击通过霍尔木兹海峡的商船。

最近几周驶离霍尔木兹海峡的船只数量有所增加，然而伊朗表示，鉴于美国最近的敌对行动，霍尔木兹海峡已对包括商船在内的所有类型船只全面封闭。

特朗普此前曾数十次坚称与伊朗的协议接近达成，但迄今尚未有任何协议达成。

美伊和平协议前景乐观 油气价格延续跌势

2026年6月12日 23:48 / 联合早报

美伊和平协议前景乐观 油气价格延续跌势

市场预期美国和伊朗正接近达成和平协议以结束这场扰乱能源市场的战争。受此影响，油气价格延续跌势。 （法新社）

市场预期美国和伊朗正接近达成和平协议以结束这场扰乱能源市场的战争。受此影响，油气价格延续跌势。

彭博社报道，美国西得克萨斯中质原油（WTI）期货价格一度下跌5.1%至近两个月来的低位，欧洲天然气期货价格一度下跌8.4%。

伊朗半官方的迈赫尔通讯社报道称，伊朗正与美国商讨共有14项条款的协议草案，其中包括解除石油制裁。该报道称，这项协议仍需获得伊朗当局的通过。

美国总统特朗普早些时候说，与伊朗的和平协议最早可能在本周末签署，并取消了此前宣布对伊朗的空袭。

霍尔木兹海峡的航运风险依然存在，据福克斯新闻报道，美军昨晚击落了两架伊朗单向攻击无人机，这些无人机似乎意在袭击通过霍尔木兹海峡的商船。

最近几周驶离霍尔木兹海峡的船只数量有所增加，然而伊朗表示，鉴于美国最近的敌对行动，霍尔木兹海峡已对包括商船在内的所有类型船只全面封闭。

特朗普此前曾数十次坚称与伊朗的协议接近达成，但迄今尚未有任何协议达成。

Elon Musk becomes the world’s first trillionaire with SpaceX’s IPO

June 12, 2026 / 9:16 AM EDT / CBS News

By Aimee Picchi

Elon Musk has become the first person to cross the trillionaire threshold, at least on paper, after SpaceX priced its blockbuster initial public offering at $135 a share.

Before the IPO, Musk was worth an estimated $813 billion, a fortune more than twice as large as the planet’s second-richest person, Google co-founder Larry Page, who is worth an estimated $288 billion, according to Forbes.

SpaceX formally setting its stock price at $135 boosted Musk’s fortune to just over $1 trillion. The shares, which will trade under the ticker symbol “SPCX,” are poised to begin trading on Friday after the Nasdaq Composite index opens at 9:30 a.m. If SpaceX rises above $135 per share, Musk’s wealth will climb further, though he could fall below the trillionaire threshold if the stock sinks.

While billionaire wealth alone may be hard enough to comprehend, a trillionaire represents a level of wealth that rivals the economic output of the world’s biggest nations. Only 19 countries have GDPs that surpass $1 trillion, ranging from the U.S. to the Netherlands, according to World Bank data.

Musk’s surging fortune represents a “new Gilded Age” of wealth inequality, Oxfam America senior director of economic justice Nabil Ahmed said in a statement.

“Elon Musk’s rise to trillionaire status marks a new pinnacle of oligarchy,” Ahmed said.

To be sure, plenty of other SpaceX employees and investors are likely to mint new fortunes with the IPO. About 4,400 SpaceX workers could become millionaires when the stock begins trading, according to the New York Times. But Musk is likely to be the biggest beneficiary, given his large stake in the business.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-spacex-ipo-trillionaire-wealth/

Trillionaire math

Musk owns 4.8 billion shares of SpaceX, or about 42% of the company, as well as 350 million stock options exercisable at $8.39 per share, according to the company’s IPO filing. At $135 a share, Musk’s stake is worth $648 billion. His options add another $44.3 billion to his net worth.

Because Forbes valued Musk’s pre-IPO stake in SpaceX at $500 billion, the IPO sale boosts the value of his SpaceX shares by an additional $192.3 billion, bringing his total net worth to $1.005 trillion.

That wealth makes Musk richer than the bottom 46% of the world’s population, or a combined 3.8 billion people, Oxfam said.

Edited by Alain Sherter

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/spacex-set-go-public-could-make-elon-musk-trillionaire/

国际学校学生和家长资料或外泄 个人资料保护委员会将展开调查

2026年6月12日 19:34 / 联合早报 胡洁梅

经营环球印度国际学校的集团系统遭网络黑客入侵，资料可能外泄，个人资料保护委员会已获知事件，将展开调查。

环球学校集团（Global Schools Group）的系统疑遭受勒索软件（ransomware）入侵，有黑客在网上称，掌握学生和家长的个人资料如护照号码、以及学校职员工资记录等资料。数据勒索组织据称是自2025年9月左右开始活跃的FulcrumSec。

环球学校集团星期五（6月12日）答复《联合早报》询问时证实，最近遇到网安袭击事件，正在评估受影响的范围。

发言人说，学校已经在外部专家的协助下迅速应对，并已通知所有相关监管和执法机构。“我们已将事件控制下来，受影响的系统也已恢复。我们严正对待所有此类事件。学生、家长、教职员和利益相关者的安全与隐私一直是我们的最高优先考量。”

个人资料保护委员会受询时说，已获知事件，并将展开调查。

环球学校集团在本地的环球印度国际学校位于榜鹅。

欧洲官员透露，美国计划大幅减少为北约在欧洲的行动提供的F-16战斗机（图）数量。 （法新社档案照片）

（华盛顿综合电）欧洲知情官员透露，美国计划大幅减少为北约在欧洲的行动提供的战机和军舰数量。这将加速美国缩减80年来为欧洲盟友提供的保护力度，同时限制北约发动远程打击和开展侦察的能力。

《纽约时报》星期五（6月12日）引述两名欧洲高级官员报道，美国计划把F-16与F-15E战斗机数量从约150架减至100架、海上侦察机从26架减至15架，并取消此前在欧洲可用的所有八架空中加油机。

据透露，美国也将重新部署一艘可发射导弹的潜艇和一艘航空母舰，以及多艘军舰和数十架参与航母任务的战机。此外，目前负责欧洲防务的两支轰炸机编队，可能有一支被重新调配到其他地区。

纽时查阅的文件显示，美国已在6月初通过书面文件通知北约盟国这项决定。

北约发言人哈特在回复路透社的电邮中说：“历史上，北约过度依赖美国的军事力量和能力。”

她补充说，随着欧洲和加拿大加大国防投入并发展更强大的能力，责任平衡可能会发生转变。这将通过减少对单一盟友的依赖来加强北约的防御，并反映出北约内部正在发生更广泛的变革。

五角大楼未回应路透社的置评请求。

美国欧洲司令部上周发表声明称，将调整对北约部队模式的支持，但未提供更多细节。

纽时披露的这些细节，迄今为止最清晰地展现了特朗普政府计划在多大程度上减少对北约的军事支持。

特朗普政府多次批评欧洲国家国防投入不足，过度依赖美国提供安全保障，并敦促欧洲及亚洲盟友将国防开支提高至国内生产总值（GDP）的3.5%。

特朗普还称，北约离开了美国就是“纸老虎”，威胁要让美国退出北约。

路透社5月报道称，美国计划缩减在重大危机期间向盟国提供的军事支持。

五角大楼尚未公开美国缩减对北约军事支持的时间表，但据美国官员透露，这将很快发生，远早于欧洲国家此前的准备。

纽时分析指，美军的突然撤离将影响北约的能力，例如监视俄罗斯潜艇活动，或向俄罗斯纵深发射远程战斧导弹的能力。尽管欧洲国家也拥有类似的导弹发射能力，但专家认为，美国部署导弹对俄罗斯的威慑力更大，因为欧洲国家可能更谨慎地部署这些导弹。

印尼大学生示威 与警方发生冲突

2026年6月12日 19:37 / 联合早报

印尼大学生示威 与警方发生冲突

示威者要求印度尼西亚政府降低汽油价格及取消免费营养餐计划。 （法新社）

印度尼西亚大学生组织游行示威，与警方发生冲突。

数百名大学生星期五（6月12日）在雅加达市中心举行“印尼正走向破产”示威，抗议生活费高涨及政府开支过于庞大。

当局调动超过4000名军警维持秩序。彭博社报道，一些学生试图突破通往市中心交通圈的钢铁路障，一些警员脸部受伤。

印尼媒体早前报道，载着学生前往示威地点的巴士被警方拦下。

组织示威的印尼大学学生会在示威前发文告说，印尼的经济恶化，政府的政策反而使情况更糟。他们也对政府的财政政策、中央银行的独立和政府的公共关系表示不满。

印尼国务秘书普拉塞蒂星期五表示，政府听取学生的诉求，过去几日也为应付经济挑战而努力。

逾200球迷老巴刹看世界杯 本地韩人社群欢庆首胜

2026年6月12日 19:41 / 联合早报

星期五上午10时，本届世界杯第二场比赛便迎来一场备受瞩目的对决——韩国队对阵捷克队。这场较量吸引超过200名以本地韩国社群为主的球迷齐聚老巴刹观战。 （谢智扬摄）

美加墨世界杯新加坡时间星期五（6月12日）凌晨点燃战火，本地球迷迎来四年一度的足球盛宴。

星期五上午10时，本届世界杯第二场比赛便迎来一场备受瞩目的对决——韩国队对阵捷克队。这场较量吸引超过200名以本地韩国社群为主的球迷齐聚老巴刹观战。位于市中心金融区的老巴刹架起两台130英寸的LED大屏幕，全程直播本届世界杯所有赛事。球迷可以一边享用美食，一边为支持的球队呐喊助威。

11时许，市区雷声阵阵、雨势渐大，老巴刹内的气氛却随着比赛进入高潮。尤其是当韩国队在第67分钟扳平比分，紧接着又在第80分钟攻入反超一球时，现场瞬间沸腾，欢呼声、呐喊声响彻老巴刹。

为方便球迷就近观看世界杯比赛，52个民众俱乐部免费直播部分赛事，五个ActiveSG体育中心则直播指定比赛。

blob:https://www.zaobao.com.sg/47ae1c19-b2d4-4e66-b80b-27452c7dcc36