A master of social engineering, Sam Bankman-Fried roped in some of the biggest names in the sporting world to promote his cryptocurrency exchange platform, FTX. From Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen to Steph Curry and Shaq, SBF had them all under the same roof. And because of the major celebrity presence, the NFL and NBA stars did not spot the risk involved with their association.
One celebrity dodged the bullet though. Pop sensation Taylor Swift. And not just that. TS even said no to an otherworldly monetary offer that protected her from the giant headache. The ‘Afterglow’ singer reportedly said no to an FTX deal worth up to a whopping $100 million. And the reason was quite simple.
Taylor Swift skipped past the FTX saga, unlike Gisele & Tom Brady
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During the cash splurge phase, SBF spent $120 million on buying the naming rights to Miami’s basketball arena. And nearly $20 million on the commercial endorsement deals for former NE Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen. The couple appeared in multiple commercials for the brand before the charges of fraudulent behavior started pouring in.
If that wasn’t enough of a splurge, Sam Bankman-Fried, and FTX were determined to have Tay Tay on board, SBF being a huge fan of the musician. However, many insiders from both the FTX and Taylor Swift camps were opposed to the move, citing compatibility issues with the brand image. Ultimately, the nine-digit deal fell through. And a few months later, the company filed for bankruptcy.
FTX held talks with Taylor Swift over $100mn sponsorship deal https://t.co/Wcydz1knnO
— Financial Times (@FT) December 7, 2022
SBF was arrested on charges of misusing client funds and a billion-dollar shortage in client assets. The victims of the cryptocurrency investment scheme also filed a lawsuit against all the celebrities involved, including TB12, Bündchen, Shaq, and Steph Curry, for promotion and endorsement of fraud.
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Gisele Bündchen addresses the FTX drama
After months of silence on the subject, former supermodel icon Gisele Bündchen revisited the FTX topic in her latest interview with Vanity Fair. The fashion icon claimed blindsidedness as the prime factor for the controversial episode. “I’m no different than everyone else that trusted the hype,” she said. “It’s just terrible. I’m so sorry for all of us that this happened, and I just pray that justice gets made.”
Besides NFL and NBA celebrities, FTX also had tennis player Naomi Osaka on board. Comedian and writer Larry David also appeared on the payroll. Surely, these popular public figures will breathe a sigh of relief once this cryptocurrency scandal is in the rear-view mirror. And Tay-Tay must surely be congratulating her team on dodging this expensive legal bullet.
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