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Former FTX US President Brett Harrison: Drug Addiction Led to Changes in SBF and Resigned Due to Threats

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Former FTX US President Brett Harrison: Drug Addiction Led to Changes in SBF and Resigned Due to Threats

Former FTX US President Brett Harrison's departure in September 2022, following FTX's bankruptcy, was claimed by many as a "sign" by those who narrowly avoided it. On January 15th, Brett Harrison broke his silence and revealed the true reason for his resignation, citing conflicts with SBF as a key factor.

Drug Addiction Led to Changes in SBF

The connection between Brett Harrison and SBF originated from the Wall Street trading company Jane Street, where Brett Harrison was the head of trading technology and SBF was just a junior trader learning trading programs from Brett Harrison. At that time, Brett Harrison was impressed by SBF's sensitivity and thirst for knowledge.

Upon joining FTX US, Brett Harrison initially felt good about it, but later SBF would intervene in decisions from the Bahamas without warning. Six months later, Brett Harrison's request for independence in execution, legal matters, and development at FTX US was all denied.

He found SBF becoming insecure, uncompromising, malicious, and capricious. He felt like he no longer recognized the person he once knew:

"I'm not sure what led to the massive change I saw in Sam. Like many of us, my family and friends struggle with drug addiction and mental health issues. I think that may be a contributing factor."

Resignation Due to Threats

Brett Harrison stated that FTX US had professionals from American financial companies, law firms, and regulated exchanges, but their opinions were not valued by SBF. Brett Harrison later advocated for hiring experienced senior management to facilitate transparent communication between SBF and FTX US leadership. Eventually, SBF isolated him from key decision-making.

Brett Harrison mentioned that after his final written protest for organizational reform, he received threats from SBF. The threats included termination with impact on his reputation, a drafted apology for Brett Harrison to retract his protest and apologize to SBF.

It was at this point that Brett Harrison made the decision to resign.

Frustration with Community Accusations

After leaving the company to start his own venture, Brett Harrison witnessed mixed reactions from people. Potential investors would often ask, "Does FTX also invest? Does SBF approve of what you are doing?" However, after FTX shut down, many of those people apologized to him.

Brett Harrison is frustrated by accusations in the community that his resignation was due to being "aware of this criminal plan," which he states is unfounded; evidence now shows that the criminal plan was carried out by a small group in the Bahamas and had started before his employment.

Community members also claim he was asked to plea bargain, but in reality, he was never charged with any crime or under investigation.

He now only expresses gratitude to those who believed in and supported him, helping him navigate through the most destructive event in his professional career.