Apple has reportedly acquired the rights to a book telling the story of disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), according to an initial report from The Ankler.
The upcoming book, ‘Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon’, will be written by Great short author Michael Lewis in a literary rights acquisition worth approximately $5 million.
SBF was first arrested in December 2022 following the collapse of FTX.
The Ankler first broke this news in November 2022, revealing that Lewis had been part of an “old-school Hollywood bidding war” for the then-unwritten book as the stories of FTX and SBF unraveled in real time.
In Going infinitely, Lewis wants to answer the question: “Who was this rumpled man in cargo shorts and floppy white socks, whose eyes wandered over Zoom meetings while playing video games on the side?”
Painting a ‘psychological portrait’ and taking a financial rollercoaster ride, Go infinitely is Lewis’s latest work that aims to bring readers into the spirit of SBF, whose sudden rise and fall offers a real-world application of this generation’s “Enron,” involving high-frequency and high-risk trading, cryptocurrencies, philanthropy, bankruptcies and the American legal system.
In addition to the book, there are reports of at least eight Hollywood projects centering on SBF, including a profile documentary reportedly directed by Nanette Burstein, known for her work on films about figures such as John McAfee and Hillary Clinton. However, this has not been confirmed.
But is it too early?
Granted that SBF’s trial doesn’t begin until October 3, it seems far too early to even launch a book about the rise and fall of the former FTX director without delving into the trial and outcome of it. While
From strange fashion choices and media appearances to his social etiquette and incestuous dynamics in the corporate workplace, SBF’s story has certainly captured the world’s attention and will be remembered long after his trial.
With the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA writers’ strikes, the continued production of these Hollywood-adapted documentaries highlighting the trials and tribulations of the crypto and Web3 space will continue to face hurdles until conversations around concerns about fair pay and artificial intelligence are addressed.
SBF’s lawyers now receive unlimited prison visits
On August 25, a federal judge allowed SBF’s lawyers to meet with him without restrictions, according to a recently filed court order.
The order stated that his attorneys may “take unlimited advantage of statutory visiting hours” at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in New York in preparation for SBF’s upcoming trial on October 3.
SBF, who was previously granted bail subject to strict house arrest and technological conditions, repeatedly violated the conditions of his bail and was promptly returned to prison after attempts to intimidate witnesses and interfere with the legal process.
The book will be released on October 3, to coincide with the first day of his trial.
Editor’s note: This article was written by a staff member of nft now in collaboration with OpenAI’s GPT-3.