FTX Funds Were Used to Buy $3.5 MILLION Castle in the Czech Republic, Forbes Reports

FTX Funds Were Used to Buy $3.5 MILLION Castle in the Czech Republic, Forbes Reports
FTX Funds Were Used to Buy $3.5 MILLION Castle in the Czech Republic, Forbes Reports

Listen to the CoinMarketRecap podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts

A "centuries-old castle in the scenic Czech highlands" was purchased using FTX funds, according to Forbes.

The news outlet says that the now-shuttered FTX Foundation donated $4.5 million to an obscure organization with ties to "effective altruism."

Sam Bankman-Fried had long claimed that he was a big believer in this movement, which champions philanthropy and encourages the rich to give away most of their wealth.

The 30-year-old himself had long vowed to give away most of his fortune, but that vanished in the blink of an eye as FTX crashed into bankruptcy.

The castle is reportedly called Chateau Hostacov, and it was snapped up by a non-profit called the European Summer Program on Rationality, or ESPR for short.

But of course, as Forbes journalist Sarah Emerson points out… ​​what need would a charitable movement have for a palatial property with a lake and a frisbee golf course?

Someone who is associated with the project said that they had ambitions to run events for up to 100 people — and wanted a venue that was "an inspiring place which supports people's creativity and ability to think."

The bigger question now is whether the ESPR will come under pressure to sell the castle and return funds to FTX's new management, who are attempting to claw back what is owed to millions of customers.

John Ray, who is spearheading bankruptcy proceedings, has previously warned politicians and other organizations who received contributions from FTX that funds must be repaid in full — or they run the risk of facing court action and paying interest on top.

All of this could create headaches for organizations like the ESPR, which have already put the money they received to use.

Advertisement