Brett Harrison Formerly FTX US President Surfaces on Twitter – What Does He Know?

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Ruholamin Haqshanas

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Ruholamin Haqshanas

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Ruholamin Haqshanas is a contributing crypto writer for CryptoNews. He is a crypto and finance journalist with over four years of experience. Ruholamin has been featured in several high-profile crypto...

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October 23, 2023

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Brett Harrison, former president of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX US, has said he will share more details regarding the exchange when the time is good. 

In response to a Twitter user who asked Harrison what did he know about FTX US and when did he know it, he replied, “I’ll share in time.” He didn’t provide any further information nor did he reply to a question asking whether he’s working with US regulators or prosecutors. 

Can you disclose whether or not you are working with US regulators / prosecutors?

— James Christoph (@JamesChristoph_) January 9, 2023

He also replied to a Twitter user expressing surprise that he’s “not in jail” with the response “use powers of inference.” 

Harrison joined FTX as president of FTX US in May 2021 and announced his departure in late September 2022. At the time, he didn’t disclose why he is leaving his role but said he will remain as an advisor at the company. He added:

“I’m remaining in the industry with the goal of removing technological barriers to full participation in and maturation of global crypto markets, both centralized and decentralized.”

Prior to joining FTX US, Harrison had worked for almost two years at market maker Citadel Securities and more than seven years as the head of trading systems technology at investment firm Jane Street.

In December, The Information reported that Harrison is seeking to raise $6 million for a new crypto startup focused on building crypto trading software for big investors at a valuation of $60 million.

FTX US was one of the more than 130 group entities that slid into bankruptcy in November last year after its parent company FTX filed for bankruptcy. 

Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, was arrested in The Bahamas in December last year and was eventually extradited to the US to face a litany of criminal charges.

The Southern District of New York, which is investigating Bankman-Fried and the collapse of FTX and its sister trading firm Alameda, indicted SBF on eight criminal charges including wire fraud and conspiracy by misusing customer funds. Separately, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged SBF with “orchestrating a scheme to defraud equity investors in FTX.”

Among the other executives of FTX and its sister companies, former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison has agreed to plead guilty to seven offenses, which include charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. 

Likewise, Gary Wang, FTX’s former chief technology officer, has pleaded guilty to criminal charges. Both Ellison and Wang are cooperating with federal investigators.

As reported, Alameda Research’s former co-CEO Sam Trabucco, who stepped down from his role in August 2022, has also come under the spotlight as US authorities have been asking additional co-conspirators to come forward and cooperate.