'Di King of Crypto make me lose $2.1m'

Wit di so-called "King of Crypto" wey go soon face trial for multiple fraud charges, one British man tok how di collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried company loss am plenty money an how im dey hope to recover money for himself and hundreds of victims around di world.

Until di final collapse, Sunil Kavuri bin hope say Sam Bankman-Fried go turn tins around.

Di King of Crypto empire bin dey shake, but as odas dey panic, Sunil bin still get hope.

Experience from doing trading for banks and investing im money for crypto turn am to odeshi for market drama.

Plus Bankman-Fried - wey give imsef appointment as saviour of crypto - kontinu to tell wolrd pipo say no shaking, everytin gallant.

But suddenly message show for screen - withdrawals suspended.

FTX - wey one time bin be di world second-largest cryptocurrency exchange - collapse enta bankruptcy.

For Sunil, years of stressful, successful and experienced trading enta gutter.

Im $2.1m (£1.7m) waka.

"I basically sidon for front of computer for like 24 hours dey refresh di page plus try send email to FTX support desk to comot my money. I fall sick. I just tink, 'Oh my God, e don finish. I don loss everytin im say.

Kavuri - wey dey live for Derbyshire for UK - bin dey save money for new house and to put im son for university, but now, nearly one year later, all im get na paper trail of wetin im bin get before.

Di believe be say na im be di British victim wey di FTX collapse hit pass.

But e get oda victims like Sunil all over di world and im don be come wetin im call 'FTX Creditor Champion' wey dey help pipo join court case and fight to get dia money back.

"One person for Turkey bin get only $600 for im bank account afta im loss evertin one for Korea land for hospital wit panic attacks," im remember.

Sunil dey help pipo for US, Canada, Argentina, Dubai, Turkey, Hong Kong, China and Singapore.

Most pipo loss few hundreds of dollars, some thousands and one lost millions like am.

All victims go watch next week trial carefully.

US prosecutors accuse Sam Bankman Fried of seven charges of fraud, conspiracy and money-laundering.

Di 31-year-old wey establish FTX - and one crypto hedge fund wey dem bin call Alameda Research - don plead say im no guilty and im go travel from prison go New York court house to fight di charges.

Oda executive for im companies don already agree say dem dey guilty and autohorities expect dem to give evidence of how dia empire - wey bin worth $40bn one time - take crash die.

FTX bin be one of di crypto exchange dem wey dem bin market say na safe way for anybody to do crypto.

Di exchange bin work line bank wey no get regulation as e allow pipo to trade dia money for crypto coins, like Bitcoin, and de fit store dia money for safekeeping.

E bin attract nine million customers from 100 kontris.

Wen e collapse, more dan one million users bin no get money again as dem bin no fit to comot dia money on time.

Di koko of di accuse against Bankman-Fried be say im do im customers 419 by using dia money to protect im own risky investments for im hedge fund.

Im spend millions expensive properties plus political donations.

Bankman-Fried don first say, "I no steal money and I no hide billions away."

Im downfall begin afta one bombshell investigation into FTX and Alameda Research fragile finances wey online tori pipo Coindesk do.

Customers panic run go witdraw billions of dollars out of di FTX exchange platform, until e bust.

Shortly bifor dem arrest am for Di Bahamas, Bankman-Fried tok for interviews, including wit BBC, say im sorry for financial mistakes wey im make.

However, im insist say none of dem bin be on purpose or criminal.

"Sam Bankman-Fried don literally destroyed so many pipo lives," Kavuri tok.

And like many FTX investors, Sunil also blame pipo wey help Bankman-Fried blow reach di top.

Dis one include influencers and celebs wey promte di company - and im CEO - as safe and trustworthy.

Di time wey di company bin dey reign for 2022, e do Super Bowl advert for US wit comedian Larry David einside dey ncourage investment wit di slogan: "Don't Miss Out".

Sunil don file two of di many ongoing civil lawsuits - including one against crypto influencers and celebs.

Di believe be say to sort FTX finances e fit take years as lawyers dey try to reclaim money from every possible avenue.

Last week Bankman-Fried parents also land court for money wey dia son give dem in di form of cash and luxury property for Di Bahamas.

Kavuri say im trust for FTX bin increase wen established venture capital companies back di crypto exchange wit serious money.

Sequoia Capital famously invest $213m for di company, wey im don write off as loss.

"I see say plenty groups bin basically give dia stamp of approval to FTX and I come tink am say, 'OK, dis dis must be legit exchange'," im tok.

On Thursday, Sunil and im wife welcome dia second pikin, and dis dey ginger am more to recover some of di money wey im loss.

For now, all im fit fo na watch, wait and hope.

Sam Bankman-Fried lawyers say dem no fit give comment.