As the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of FTX, looms, reports have surfaced concerning the company’s donations to COVID-19 researchers in the early stages of the pandemic. These donations have been linked to the discrediting of specific treatments, such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

Controversy Over FTX’s Donations to Early Covid-19 Researchers To Challenge Approved Treatments

There have been numerous reports that FTX’s co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) played a part in funding pandemic prevention initiatives. According to records, SBF held a meeting with top executives of the Biden Administration in the first week of 2023. When asked about the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the discussion revolved around “pandemic prevention.”

This news comes after various reports that indicate there are many ways to aid the global economy which was hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdowns. Documents have suggested that ivermectin may show some therapeutic benefits, as well as the fact that if hydroxychloroquine was administered early enough it may help reduce Covid-19 infections. However, many have questioned the validity of these assertions, while some have asked for the withdrawal of the vaccine due to safety concerns.

At the same time, FTX is reported to have provided a significant amount of propaganda related to the pandemic in the early days. Gabe Bankman-Fried, SBF’s brother, was enlisted as the director of “Pandemic Protection.” Reports indicate that FTX “fed” the organization a steady stream of cash. The Washington Post has reported that the lobbying costs for the organization totaled $1 million, with 26 lobbyists hired.

“The brothers strove to keep congressional attention on biodefense,” said Luciana Borio, Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations and an expert on infectious diseases, in a conversation with the Washington Post.

Further, reports allege that FTX’s donor arm, the “FTX Foundation,” funneled $18.25 million to early Covid-19 researchers who wrote articles that targeted certain treatments. A press release from May of the FTX Foundation states that the organization donated millions to the “Juicio Juntos” consortium, which “includes representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Guidance Committee on Therapeutics of Covid-19.”

Themainewire.com reports that “Together Trial” included two studies (study 1 and study 2) that discredited the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. “The Together Trial research included a study that found that the benefits of ivermectin for patients with COVID-19 were unclear and a study that concluded that hydroxychloroquine showed no benefit in reducing hospitalizations,” Steve Robinson, contributor to themainewire.com, said.

The pandemic prevention methods which have been promoted have not been proven effective and may have done more harm than good. FTX’s alleged funding of research aimed to cast doubt on certain Covid-19 treatments has led to a great deal of confusion in the last two years. Although FTX is now bankrupt, it was once one of the top five crypto exchanges and its foundation may have caused significant damage to the public’s wellbeing.