Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem claims he’s been “gypped” as a result of his FTX deal.
As AfroTech previously told you, Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX is now a defunct company.
The company was endorsed by familiar names such as Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, Naomi Osaka, and more — all of whom are now named in a class action lawsuit that is seeking $11 billion in damages.
Haslem’s participation involved being a paid spokesperson, and part of the deal included $15 million through an equity share in FTX, which he ultimately says he lost in the end.
“I got gypped out of $15 million,” he expressed, according to Sun-Sentinel. “That’s what my equity had grown to. He didn’t dupe me. I signed a contract with a company and that’s part of it.”
His initial reasoning for joining FTX was an opportunity to help out the community.
“I’m not ashamed of any involvement. I came in with pure intentions,” Haslem told Sun-Sentinel. “My point of it was, ‘You guys are doing a lot for charity. You’re in Miami now. What can you do for my city?’ And that was the stance that I took and we got some stuff done. So hopefully I’ll find somebody else to continue to partner with, to continue to do stuff in the city.”
Upon hearing the news of Bankman-Fried’s arrest in the Bahamas, it hit especially home for Haslem.
“I have a very large amount of contacts in the Bahamas, family members, just people that I’m close to,” Haslem explained, according to Sun-Sentinel. “What they were doing for those islands and the people that were benefiting, those were the people that I was excited about and those are the things that I’m heartbroken about, because those people don’t have those opportunities anymore.”
Haslem seems to maintain contentment over the fact he stewarded his responsibilities to extend a helping hand to those in the city.
“I did a lot for the city. I was able to give small-business loans, I was able to do a lot for my charities,” Haslem said, the outlet reports.
