# Caroline Ellison Caroline Ellison served as CEO of Alameda Research, the trading firm at the center of the [[FTX]] fraud. A Stanford graduate who entered the crypto world through the effective altruism pipeline, she became romantically involved with [[Sam Bankman-Fried]] while helping manage the commingling of billions in customer funds between FTX and Alameda. Ellison pleaded guilty to multiple federal fraud charges and became a key cooperating witness in the government's case against [[Sam Bankman-Fried]]. Her testimony at trial was instrumental in securing his conviction. In September 2024, she was sentenced to two years in federal prison — a fraction of SBF's 25-year sentence — reflecting the weight of her cooperation.