Timothy L. O'Brien, Columnist

Sam Bankman-Fried and the Crypto Grift

Skepticism can be a virtue.

July 11, 2023 at 9:00 AM UTC

Timothy L. O'Brien is senior executive editor of Bloomberg Opinion. A former editor and reporter for the New York Times, he is author of “TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald.”

He’s facing fraud, money laundering and other criminal charges.
Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg

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Every generation produces a financier or businessperson who personifies how easy it can be to part fools from their money, part smart people from their senses and part the media from skepticism. There’s a long list of exhibits in that genre, from Charles Ponzi to Bernie Madoff.