The spectacular rise and incredible fall of a crypto empire and its unconventional founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire wannabe philanthropist now facing decades behind bars.

Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack could not resist inviting special guest Michael Lewis (author of Liar's Poker, Moneyball and The Big Short) to tell this story. Michael was at the scene with SBF as his FTX crypto trading business crumbled and the law closed in.

They trace SBF's life from childhood in Californian academia through his rapid accumulation of wealth – surpassed only by the speed at which it was lost – and on into his prison cell. Then they decide if he is good, bad, or just another billionaire.

This programme was edited on 4 December 2023 to correct a factual error. Show less