All of this implies two ways Bankman-Fried may have been thinking about his long-term game plan. He may have simply thought he could do nothing but win, and that all the money he was stealing would magically regenerate somehow through his deranged financial and influence-peddling machinations. This species of stupidity would have flowed from Bankman-Fried’s apparently incurable case of elite delusion.
A more grounded theory of mind might suggest Bankman-Fried thought he could simply buy off politicians by funneling enough illegal, stolen donations to them. This is stupid in a more basic and embarrassing way: However cynical you may be about the U.S. justice system, relying on political connections for legal protection is a fairly poor strategy. Enron CEO Kenneth Lay was personal buddies with President George W. Bush. Elizabeth Holmes had Henry Kissinger on her board. They were both convicted nonetheless.
Source: Sam Bankman-Fried Cosplayed as a Genius. The Facts Reveal His Incredible Stupidity
