In the Company of Convicts: SBF's Unlikely Bonds Inside MDC

Sam Bankman-Fried might be one of the most hated men in the real world, especially the crypto world, but it seems he's been building bridges in jail.

The former crypto mogul is currently being housed in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) as he awaits his sentencing on 28 March 2024, potentially facing 110 years in prison.

Last week, journalist Tiffany Fong released an exclusive image of SBF alongside his fellow inmates.

Fong has since released a full interview with ex-blood gang member, G-Lock, who was in jail with Sam Bankman-Fried at MDC for several months.

In the 38-minute interview, G-Lock described SBF as a "different kind of guy," "weird as shit," and "odd," but a "good guy."

G-Lock was released after a five-year stint in MDC, during which he befriended SBF.

"[SBF] talks very respectfully," G-Lock recalled. "But seeing him in this environment, with a bunch of guys that look like me, damn."

He added how he initially thought SBF was behind bars for being a pedophile as he was trying to suss him out. Both SBF and G-Lock were detained in a section for high-profile inmates.

G-Lock even went as far as defending the FTX founder. "I think it was a wrong conviction, personally," he said.

When another inmate, Juice, tried to extort SBF, G-Lock and another inmate, Jean, came to his defense. "[SBF] was totally scared shitless," G-Lock said. "Jean beat the shit of out Juice for Sam."

"I'm so grateful for people like you who stood up for Sam because he doesn't deserve to get his ass beat," Fong chimed in.

"I never asked Sam for anything," G-Lock boldly stated. "Everybody around him asked him for stuff in there. He's a good guy. He'll give you his last. He's a straight vegan, he doesn't eat anything that isn't rice beans or peanut butter jelly, which was his favorite. He can't stop eating it."'

G-Lock also recalled how SBF was "really confident" ahead of his trial, even telling him "I got this trial in the bag."

However, G-Lock had fewer nice words to say about SBF's ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison.

"His ex-girlfriend, she looks nasty," G-Lock candidly said. "I said to him: 'What are you thinking bro?' and he goes 'I don't know.'"

He recalled how the inmates watched the 60 Minutes feature on SBF together. "When his ex-girlfriend came on the show, everybody was like 'nah Sam, bro you were a billionaire bro'! You would think someone like that would be with someone attractive."

"You could tell he was embarrassed because everybody was laughing. Everyone thought [Ellison's] teeth were like Sandy the squirrel from SpongeBob SquarePants."

Fong previously interviewed SBF's roommate at MDC, former inmate and mob enforcer for the Bonanno crime family Gene Borrello, who said SBF's lack of prison savvy and timid demeanor made him stand out in this harsh environment, and that he had to defended SBF from inmates who tried to extort the him.

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