Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, has joined the nonprofit grant platform Manifund as a full-time employee. She began working for the organization under the pseudonym Carol on July 13 and transitioned to a permanent role on August 10. According to Manifund cofounder Austin Chen, Ellison is responsible for user support and updates, and she has developed a reconciliation tool for tracking transactions.
The appointment follows Ellison's two-year prison sentence related to the collapse of the FTX exchange. Manifund focuses on funding projects in effective altruism and artificial intelligence safety. Chen defended the hiring decision, citing a belief in redemption and noting that Ellison has served her prison term and worked to compensate creditors.
Regulatory bodies have imposed further restrictions on Ellison. On August 19, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission finalized a civil case, issuing a five-year trading ban and a 10-year registration ban. Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission has prohibited her from serving as an officer or director of any public company.
Meanwhile, the legal proceedings surrounding the FTX estate continue. The recovery trust has already distributed over $11 billion to creditors. A hearing regarding ongoing disputes over fraud claims and potential payouts is scheduled to take place before a Delaware judge on October 20.
