The Crypto King is a convicted fraudster. But were his motives ethical?

2023-08-11T181408Z_1136943611_RC2SL2ATGW6U_RTRMADP_3_USA-BANKMANFRIED

Sam Bankman-Fried was on course to become the world’s first trillionaire, before his virtual empire spectacularly collapsed in scandal. He’s due to be sentenced later this month, but Martin Saunders says there’s a surprising lesson the Church can learn from him 

I’m going to tell you a story about a rich young man. He had everything; arguably more than anyone his age had ever had before. Still one thing he lacked though, and it kept him awake at night. So he began to pursue a question: “Even though I have everything, what good deed must I do in order to make my life really count for something?” 

This is the tale of a privileged American banking prodigy who made an almost unimaginable amount of money in the time it takes most people to complete a university degree. That he lost it all in a matter of weeks feels like his just deserts – a confirmation that no one should get that rich, and certainly not that quickly. And yet, my guess is that by the time you’ve finished reading this, you may not feel entirely sure…in fact you may even feel – as I do – that it’s kind of a shame that the rich young man didn’t quite reach the incredible levels of wealth he seemed to be aspiring to.