Is it true that Ukraine sacrificed billions of dollars through the FTX cryptocurrency exchange for democrats?

On Twitter and Russian media, the theory circulates that Ukraine has invested billions of US military assistance in the FTX crypto officer, and then these funds went back to the USA, to the accounts of the Democratic Party. We checked how true this financial scheme is.

Numerous posts The social networks argue that Ukraine and the FTX exchange became participants in the democrats scheme for laundering billions of dollars. In the United States, this topic caused stormy Discussions on the ultra -right sites. Similar statements appeared in the Russian media: "Gazeta.ru","News","Lenta.ru" REN TV. The same topic was affected by the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev. Ilon Musk To the question of one of Twitter users "Did the FTX exchange have used money laundering for the Democratic Party?" He replied that this question is “worthy of attention”. And on YouTube appeared video clip, in a comic form explaining why Ukraine had to return the funds allocated to it by the Biden administration.

Bankruptcy FTX

On November 2, 2022, the publication about Coindesk cryptocurrencies published investigation Financial reports of the FTX crypto accounts. This publication provoked panic Among the FTX traders and investors, who in three days tried to withdraw about six billion dollars from the platform. Due to fears about the lack of liquidity, the founder of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried Submitted Bankruptcy protection application. The collapse of the FTX attracted attention to the activities of the exchange, and especially to donations in favor of the Democrats of the United States made by its founder.

Communication FTX with political parties in the United States

World media for a long time Turned Attention to the impressive personal donations of Bankman-Fried to American democrats. Although the largest amounts went to the primaries of the Democrats, he also made a significant contribution to the Republican campaign. According to tweet Bankman-Frida, his donations were aimed at supporting candidates from both parties with whom he worked on lobbying Defi (English “decentralized finances”). At the same time, FTX Executive Director Ryan Salame I put it Millions of dollars in the Republican campaign. Therefore, it is not clear why only the Democrats are accused of money laundering if both parties have received donations from FTX leaders.

FTX connection with Ukraine

In March 2022, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine launched a website Aid for Ukraine (English “Help Ukraine”) for world donations in cryptocurrency. Partners of the Minzifra in this project steel FTX Exchange, Ukrainian company Everstake and Kuna cryptocurrency exchange. FTX helped convert cryptocurrency donations from individual donors in Fiat currency And send them to the National Bank of Ukraine. According to tweet Everstake, Aid for Ukraine used the FTX exchange only a few times in March 2022 - and exclusively for converting cryptocurrency donations into a fiat. At the same time, the obtained crypto equipment was not stored on FTX. March 11 National Bank of Ukraine confirmed Obtaining more than a million dollars from the Aid for Ukraine project. And on August 17, the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine wrotethat out of $ 60 million received through AID for Ukraine, $ 54 million has already been spent on the humanitarian and military needs of Ukraine and Published Serving these expenses.

Financial assistance to the United States to Ukraine

Foreign assistance to the United States to other countries is subjected to a thorough audit of several organizations. For example, in accordance with Law On additional appropriations for Ukraine of 2022, supervision of expenses is carried out by the General by the inspector of the State Department, the Office of the General of the General of Supervision of the Ministry of Defense and the General Inspector of the USAID.

On September 19, 2022, the US Ministry of Defense published report Congress on a package of assistance to Ukraine with a breakdown by recipients (for example, the army, the Air Force and the Navy of Ukraine), with the amounts of allocated and spent money. Under such a close observation, the Ukrainian government would be very difficult to hide the investments of the US funds in the crypto -country.

Source of misinformation

The earliest mention of money laundering through FTX - the earliest publication On the website Hal Turner Radio Show on November 11, 2022. Hal Turner Known Many in the USA as an inventor of conspiracy theories. He was more than once Caught on the distribution of fakes. In his publication of November 11, Turner puts forward the theory that “Ukraine received money from the United States, sent it to FTX, and FTX sent it to the Democrats, who initially voted to send money to Ukraine.” He does not attach any evidence. Then the author develops the theory, supposedly then “this kid (Bankman-Fried)” ruined his own company only so that the democrats won intermediate elections. And he did this, substituting all FTX investors. “So the collapse of the FTX is now connected not only with Ukraine, but also with American democrats who received money from Sam Bankman-Fried to the election campaign!” - summed up Turner.

On November 14, this information appeared in the Russian media, but from another source: “former American officer” by Scott Bennett. Bennett is reliably known only that he was Sentenced In the United States, by three years in prison for pretending to be an American military and wore military uniform. Nevertheless, this does not interfere with Russian Media represent him as a former US Army officer or a former CIA intelligence officer and invite As a military expert. Bennett more than once Facing In ours parsing As a source of fakes.

IN interview Bennett said Izvestia that in fact, Kyiv did not receive real benefits from US military assistance. Instead, the funds were invested and transferred to the Democrats account through the FTX exchange, which was subsequently eliminated to avoid disclosing the financial reporting. Again, Bennett did not provide evidence or links to sources.

Blockchain, with the help of which cryptotransications are recorded-this is a public register of information, which means that everyone in their Internet browser can Track Any transaction made. Nevertheless, not a single source accusing the democrats of laundering money was published identifier Transactions or other evidence that financial assistance to Ukraine has returned to the Democratic Party through FTX. Cryptic sacrifices to Ukraine were made from individuals and organizations from around the world and are not related to US military assistance packages.

Thus, the assertion that the Democrats received military assistance to Ukraine through FTX, has no evidence. Of course, the lack of evidence does not formally mean that the application is false. Nevertheless, the totality of inconsistencies, unambiguously false elements and dubious sources of this theory make it treat with huge skepticism.

Image on the cover: Facebook, TradeStation

Most likely not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Is it true that it is possible to create a biological weapon, selectively striking people in national Sign?
2. Logically. Fact-Check: Ukraine Donated Billions of Dollrs to U.S. Democrats Through The FTX Cryptocurrency Exchange
3. The Washington Post. UKRAINE ASKED FOR DONATIONS IN CRYPTO. The Things Got Weird