Ellison faces prison for role in FTX collapse

Ellison had pleaded guilty to fraud charges and cooperated extensively with federal authorities, which was instrumental in securing the 25-year prison sentence of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

Judge Kaplan commended Wang’s cooperation, acknowledging his minimal role compared to others in FTX’s leadership.

Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, has been sentenced to two years in prison for her involvement in the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The case, one of the largest financial scandals in US history, saw Ellison plead guilty to fraud charges and cooperate extensively with authorities to secure the conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who received a 25-year prison sentence.

Ellison’s legal team had requested time served and supervised release, emphasising her crucial role in helping federal investigators uncover the misuse of billions in customer funds. However, District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, while acknowledging her cooperation, ruled that Ellison must still serve time and forfeit around $11 billion.

Her cooperation with prosecutors has been central in exposing the FTX scandal, but the court concluded that her involvement in the mismanagement of funds warranted a prison sentence, drawing attention from legal experts and the broader crypto community.