Streaming giant Netflix is set to narrate the dramatic rise and fall of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange in a new limited series titled “The Altruists.” The show will focus heavily on its disgraced former CEO and founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, and his former partner, Caroline Ellison.
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What is ‘The Altruists’ About?
According to Netflix, the series portrays the former couple as hyper-smart, ambitious young idealists who set out to remake the global financial system in the blink of an eye—only to end up accused of orchestrating an $8 billion fraud.
The title itself is a nod to “Effective Altruism,” a philosophical movement the duo publicly championed. As defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, altruists are individuals who have a selfless concern for the well-being of others, prioritizing philanthropy over their own interests.
“For nearly three years now, Sam and Caroline’s story has been my daily obsession. I’m so grateful to my friends at Netflix and Higher Ground for loving this story not only as much as I do but in the same way that I do. And we can’t wait to show all of you why.”
Graham Moore, Executive Producer, The Altruists
The Cast: Who is Playing Who?
Anthony Boyle as Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF)
- The Reality: Once hailed as the “Crypto King,” Bankman-Fried’s centralized control and mismanagement led to the spectacular collapse of FTX. He routinely mixed customer funds with corporate assets and used Alameda Research as a vehicle for high-risk investments, sparking a fatal liquidity crisis.
- The Aftermath: In early 2024, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty on seven counts of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy. Prosecutors proved he siphoned over $8 billion in customer funds to finance venture investments, celebrity endorsements, and a luxurious lifestyle.
Julia Garner as Caroline Ellison
- The Reality: Ellison served as the CEO of Alameda Research during the height of Bankman-Fried’s abuse of user funds. Following the collapse, she became a star witness for the prosecution, cooperating fully with the government, regulators, and the FTX bankruptcy estate.
- The Aftermath: Her extensive cooperation led to a drastically reduced sentence of two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. This timeline was shortened further after she earned good conduct credits under the First Step Act, leading to an early transition to community confinement in October 2025.
William Mapother as Dr. George Lerner
- The Reality: Dr. Lerner acted as an in-house coach for FTX employees, advising them on deeply private matters, including their love lives. Though not a medical doctor in a traditional psychiatric capacity, he allegedly treated Bankman-Fried for ADHD and depression.
Terry Chen as Changpeng “CZ” Zhao
- The Reality: The founder of rival exchange Binance, Zhao played a pivotal role in FTX’s unraveling. He sparked public panic after posting on X (formerly Twitter) that Binance would be liquidating its holdings of FTX’s native token, FTT. Many view CZ’s social media posts as the catalyst that worsened FTX’s bank run and subsequent collapse.
Hudson Williams as Duncan Rheingans-Yoo
- The Reality: Rheingans-Yoo oversaw FTX’s charitable giving operations, including the FTX Foundation. During bankruptcy proceedings, it was alleged he received a salary of about $375,000. He denied this, claiming his salary was $275,000 but was never actually paid to him.
- The Aftermath: Throughout the investigations, Rheingans-Yoo firmly denied any involvement in the fraud committed by Bankman-Fried or any knowledge that the FTX Foundation was used to misappropriate funds for SBF’s personal gain.
Disclosure: AI has been used to assist in editing this article
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This article is published on BitPinas: Netflix to Chronicle FTX Collapse in Upcoming Series ‘The Altruists’
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