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I think you missed the threads they're referencing. I see from your other comments you think there's a lot of hot takes in this thread. The threads around the t

I think you missed the threads they're referencing. I see from your other comments you think there's a lot of hot takes in this thread. The threads around the time he was charged were full of nuclear takes about how the justice system was broken, how every minor development in the case meant he would get off scott free, etc. It also brought the antisemites of HN out of the woodwork to share conspiracy theories (given that SBF is a Jewish person who committed a financial crime). They were the roughest threads on HN I had seen at the time. (There were still good, insightful comments, but they were diamonds in the rough.) This is more or less an injoke. I completely see where they're coming from.

mrguyorama 3y ago
You're forgetting how "He donated to democrats so he'll get off scott free"
- function_seven 3y ago
  Yeah, stupidest hot-take I ever saw in this case. No politician will stick their neck out for someone based on past donations if: 1. There is little hope for future money 2. The donor is universally reviled If anything, that donation history made the recipients even more likely to turn on him. They must distance themselves.
  - Ekaros 3y ago
    There is time when you cut your useful idiots loose. And when they have run out of money, or you can make example of them makes perfect sense.
  - sky_rw 3y ago
    The opinion that I believe s most close to the truth re: favors for donations, is that politicians value constancy and dependability more than short term cash injections. One needs to be playing the game for decades before you can start earning 'get out of jail' type favors.
- randallsquared 3y ago
  People who were arguing that then probably now would argue that the politicians found a workaround: just having him not charged for bribery and campaign finance crimes. No need to investigate the recipients if the alleged crime is ignored! https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/27/prosecutors-drop-another-charge-against-ftxs-sam-bankman-fried.html https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/27/prosecutors-drop-another-cha...
  - matthewdgreen 3y ago
    Keeping up to date with the news can be challenging I guess. https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/08/08/sam-bankman-fried-will-still-face-campaign-finance-related-charge-doj-says/?outputType=amp https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/08/08/sam-bankman-fried...
    - nullc 3y ago
      Isn't that limited to the small portion of funding that was via straw payments, as the extradition terms allows money laundering charges?
      - matthewdgreen 3y ago
        Both articles seem to be in agreement that the campaign finance charges are being dropped because of the extradition treaty with the Bahamas. The second article indicates that the government intends to work around that limitation by charging it as wire fraud. From my perspective that kind of workaround seems like overzealous prosecution, not deliberate under-prosecution as the GP poster implies. But what do I know.
ReptileMan 3y ago
Staying in the Bahamas after the thing blew up but before institutions started to spin their wheels was not the wisest choice a man could make. If he acted faster he could have pulled a Jho Law.

mrguyorama 3y ago

You're forgetting how "He donated to democrats so he'll get off scott free"

function_seven 3y ago
Yeah, stupidest hot-take I ever saw in this case. No politician will stick their neck out for someone based on past donations if: 1. There is little hope for future money 2. The donor is universally reviled If anything, that donation history made the recipients even more likely to turn on him. They must distance themselves.
- Ekaros 3y ago
  There is time when you cut your useful idiots loose. And when they have run out of money, or you can make example of them makes perfect sense.
- sky_rw 3y ago
  The opinion that I believe s most close to the truth re: favors for donations, is that politicians value constancy and dependability more than short term cash injections. One needs to be playing the game for decades before you can start earning 'get out of jail' type favors.
randallsquared 3y ago
People who were arguing that then probably now would argue that the politicians found a workaround: just having him not charged for bribery and campaign finance crimes. No need to investigate the recipients if the alleged crime is ignored! https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/27/prosecutors-drop-another-charge-against-ftxs-sam-bankman-fried.html https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/27/prosecutors-drop-another-cha...
- matthewdgreen 3y ago
  Keeping up to date with the news can be challenging I guess. https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/08/08/sam-bankman-fried-will-still-face-campaign-finance-related-charge-doj-says/?outputType=amp https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/08/08/sam-bankman-fried...
  - nullc 3y ago
    Isn't that limited to the small portion of funding that was via straw payments, as the extradition terms allows money laundering charges?
    - matthewdgreen 3y ago
      Both articles seem to be in agreement that the campaign finance charges are being dropped because of the extradition treaty with the Bahamas. The second article indicates that the government intends to work around that limitation by charging it as wire fraud. From my perspective that kind of workaround seems like overzealous prosecution, not deliberate under-prosecution as the GP poster implies. But what do I know.

ReptileMan 3y ago

Staying in the Bahamas after the thing blew up but before institutions started to spin their wheels was not the wisest choice a man could make. If he acted faster he could have pulled a Jho Law.