Writer Michael Lewis alleges disgraced FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried paid NBA All-Big name Steph Curry $35 million for 60 hours promotion, SF Gate studies.
Throughout an interview on CBS’ 60 Mins selling his new ebook, Lewis stated he met with Bankman-Fried over 100 occasions, the place he were given a have a look at some inside FTX paperwork appearing how a lot partnering celebrities made for running with the corporate.
“He paid Tom Brady $55 million for 20 hours a yr for 3 years,” Lewis stated. “He paid Steph Curry $35 million for a similar factor for 3 years.”
An advert that includes Curry, which is able to now simplest be discovered on YouTube, painted the facade that he may just nonetheless be triumphant within the crypto global with out being a professional since FTX made issues really easy.
Bankman-Fried is going through federal fees of cord fraud and cash laundering, with a tribulation beginning on Oct. 10—the similar day Lewis’ ebook is to be had to the general public. Curry has been indexed in a class-action lawsuit in opposition to the failed corporate and its supporters.
Curry joined the corporate as a world ambassador with an fairness stake in 2021. FTX welcomed the Golden State Warrior with open hands in a since-deleted submit.
“Welcome to the FTX Group, NBA Celebrity Stephen Curry!” the tweet stated, in step with AfroTech. “We’re excited to announce he’s transform FTX World Ambassador and a shareholder. Even though, who higher to announce it than @StephenCurry30 himself.”
The cryptocurrency trade folded a yr later in November 2022.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and tennis professional Naomi Osaka had been additionally indexed within the lawsuit that says the fame endorsements of FTX had been “fraudulent.” So as to add insult to damage, Shaq was once served throughout the playoff sport between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Warmth. Court docket filings document that Osaka allegedly pocketed over $300K, and O’Neal reportedly won on the subject of $750K from FTX.
