- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) believes FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried shouldn’t reference Anthropic’s recent fundraising in his defense.
- DOJ asserts that the $500 million investment in Anthropic in 2022 was sourced from customer funds.
In a recent turn of events, the DOJ argues that Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, shouldn’t bring Anthropic’s recent fundraising activities into his defense strategy. According to an update from CoinDesk, discussions surrounding the potential points to be raised during witness testimonies in Bankman-Fried’s trial have been ongoing. While both parties have come to an agreement on several issues, the inclusion of Anthropic’s fundraise remains contentious.
Evidence Evaluation and Court’s Stance
The crux of the argument lies in the DOJ’s belief that highlighting the present value of Bankman-Fried’s investments would only bolster the claim that FTX‘s customers and other potential victims will eventually be compensated in full. The court has previously deemed such a purpose as impermissible. The indictment accuses Bankman-Fried of wire fraud by allegedly misusing FTX customer deposits for personal investments and expenses. The DOJ maintains that the profitability of these investments is irrelevant, emphasizing that the primary issue is the misappropriation of funds.
Anthropic’s Recent Financial Activities
Amidst this legal battle, Anthropic, the AI company at the center of the controversy, has been reportedly engaged in significant financial negotiations. The company has brokered a deal with Amazon that could potentially be worth up to $4 billion. Additionally, sources like Bloomberg suggest that Anthropic is in the process of negotiating another fundraising round, aiming to secure an additional $2 billion.
