With her partner due to report to prison within 70 days of his sentencing in connection with the fall of FTX, Michelle Bond announced the launch of a cryptocurrency-focused think tank in Washington, DC.
In a notice dated June 20, Bond said she helped launch the Digital Future research center. According to his LinkedIn, the research center is one of the first professional experiences Bond has listed since the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Company-related contributions to his 2022 U.S. House of Representatives campaign are now part of the charges against his partner Ryan Salama, former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets.
According to Bond, the research center will focus on creating a “enabling regulatory environment” for fintech, digital assets and artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States. She added that U.S. lawmakers “have yet to pass significant and influential legislation regarding cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence.”
Before FTX’s collapse, Bond was CEO of the Digital Asset Markets Association. She has also been CEO of Capitol Advisory since 2023 – “a consulting firm that assists financial technology companies with regulatory, legal and general issues and advice” – and served as legal advisor to the United States Senate Banking Committee from 2011 to 2012.
The timing of the launch of the Cryptocurrency Research Center was unclear. There are less than five months until the US presidential election and many states are holding primaries in June. Cointelegraph reached out to Digital Future for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
about: Why was Rayyan Salama given a longer sentence than recommended by the prosecution?
In September 2023, Salama pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make illegal political contributions and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. In May, a federal judge sentenced the former FTX CEO to 7.5 years in prison. He is expected to report to authorities on August 29.
Salama’s accusations were directly linked to Bond’s congressional campaign. She ran as a Republican to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District in 2022, but the campaign never advanced beyond the party’s primary. The former FTX CEO allegedly contributed to Bond’s campaign on behalf of a company, in violation of US law.
Since his sentencing hearing, Salameh has resumed activities on his He has a seven-month-old child with Bond.
review: Crypto Voters Have Already Disrupted the 2024 Elections – and It’s Set to Continue
