Former FTX spokesman Kevin O’Leary defends help of crypto agency

,“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary defended his place as a spokesman for bankrupt crypto agency FTX on CNBC’s “Squawk Field” on Friday.

“That is America. The justice system grants the presumption of innocence till confirmed in any other case,” O’Leary replied when requested why he had not condemned Bankman-Fried extra harshly. The previous FTX CEO was arrested by Bahamian authorities earlier this week, pending extradition and trial to face prices in US federal courtroom.

O’Leary was pressed for his paid FTX ambassadorship, enterprise capital profession and his Defense of Sam Bankman-Fried By CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin, Joe Kernen and Becky Fast days earlier than his arrest.

Kernan didn’t converse with the Canadian businessman. “Are you continue to calling your self a enterprise investor?” the Squawk Field host requested O’Leary. “Was your enterprise funding ready to make use of your identify as a spokesperson?”

“Joe, unhealthy information. I’ve an enormous consulting enterprise,” O’Leary retorted. Kernan continued to strain O’Leary. “Are you continue to complicated the cash paid by FTX that you just misplaced, or did you really make investments a few of your personal funds?”

“Cash is redeemable,” O’Leary replied.

“So that you did not. As soon as once more, you are a enterprise investor who took your identify,” Kernan stated. “You did not even owe your cash on taxes.”

O’Leary continued to return his misplaced $10 million funding in FTX, which was given to him as a part of his compensation for showing as a paid spokesperson. Conventional enterprise funding sometimes entails a fund or particular person investing their very own funds in a enterprise.

“He needed to open that spherical for me,” O’Leary stated. “I’ve 54 firms in my portfolio proper now.”

“Kevin, you are an actor on this play, and also you had a primary row seat to the bankman — fried till the very finish,” Sorkin stated. “What do you assume occurred? Do you assume it was a hoax?”

“I haven’t got the details. [New FTX CEO] John Ray hasn’t but. He’ll get them,” O’Leary replied. “I am checking my information. I’m keen to fund a forensic account of our accounts.”

He stated, “A whole lot of unhealthy issues have been stated right here, and numerous them are going to be true, possible.”

However on the similar time, O’Leary stated he was not inclined to have interaction indignant traders on Twitter.

“I perceive the herd is indignant,” stated the businessman, who can be a CNBC contributor.

Sorkin additionally noticed that, in contrast to Tom Brady or Larry David, traders may count on that O’Leary knew higher than most how you can discern whether or not FTX was problematic.

“Firms promote, they usually do it this manner,” O’Leary stated.

Kernan additionally pressed O’Leary on his fast about-face on bitcoin.

“Does that change match the $15 million you bought from FTX?” Kernan requested. “No,” O’Leary stated, including that his bitcoin investments started in 2018 earlier than he grew to become an envoy for FTX.

However Sorkin pointed to a 2019 tv look, noting that O’Leary known as bitcoin “rubbish.”

“Then I am unsuitable about it,” O’Leary stated. “The factor is, it was a very long time in the past earlier than I grew to become a paid spokesperson. A very long time in the past.”

O’Leary concluded, “I really like getting sandpaper from you guys day-after-day. It is improbable.”

Disclosure: CNBC holds the unique off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.”