FTX executive Sam Banksman –fried has  been accused by the US of paying $40million bribe in cryptocurrency to one or more Chinese government officials to regain access to trading accounts frozen by law enforcement in the country, in addition to 12 counts he already faces, after his exchange collapsed last November, in a revised indictment filed in federal court in Manhattan. The accounts, were linked to Alameda Research, FTX’s sister company.
Banksman who was initially charged with eight criminal counts in December, after being extradited from his home in the Bahamas. Banksman-Fried repeatedly tried to unfreeze accounts in China linked to Alameda Research, including hiring attorney to lobby on the company’s behalf in the country.
 He tried to use personal identifying information of  several individuals not affiliated with FTX or Alameda in an attempt to transfer funds and circumvent the freeze orders put in place by the Chinese authorities.