Michael Lewis eyes FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried as subject of next book

Michael Lewis, the best-selling author of “The Big Short” and “Moneyball,” plans to spill the drama behind the downfall of Sam Bankman-Fried.

Lewis — whose books were turned into blockbuster films — has been “traveling with and interviewing” Bankman-Fried for six months, and was planning to write about the FTX co-founder before the collapse of his crypto empire, according to entertainment newsletter The Ankler. 

A letter from Lewis’ publishing agency pitching the book to potential film rights buyers surfaced on Saturday.

“The events of the past week have provided a dramatic surprise ending to the story,” the letter read. 

The letter noted that Lewis initially wanted to write about Bankman-Fried to profile his prodigious success. 

“His childhood, early success on Wall Street, embrace of effective altruism and the creation of a crypto empire that catapulted him in record time into the ranks of the richest people in the world seemed more than sufficient for a signature Michael Lewis book,” the letter said. 

In an interview with Financial News in August, Lewis teased the prospect of a new crypto-based book on the horizon.

“I found a character through whom I can write about — it weirdly links up ‘Flash Boys,’ ‘The Big Short’ and ‘Liar’s Poker,” Lewis said, referencing his previous works about investors that challenge mainstream finance.

“I guess it is possible it will be framed as a crypto book, but it won’t be a crypto book,” Lewis said. “It’ll be about this really unusual character. You’ll learn all about crypto and you’ll learn about what screwed up market structure in the United States and so on.”

During a conference in April, Lewis and Bankman-Fried were seen together in the Bahamas, where the former crypto mogul has been hiding out now that his company has been forced to file for bankruptcy.

As part of the conference, Lewis interviewed Bankman-Fried on stage, with one question foreshadowing the downfall: “There’s a status upheaval in the financial world, and you’re sitting right in the middle of it.”