US government sells Anthropic stakes seized from former FTX executives

Two former FTX executives' stakes in AI safety company Anthropic have been liquidated by US authorities. Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh had invested $50 million combined in the firm during 2022; the US Marshals Service sold these seized shares to existing Anthropic investors throughout 2025. The transaction underscores the intricate overlap between criminal asset forfeiture and bankruptcy proceedings, as proceeds from the sale have not yet been distributed to FTX victims awaiting compensation.

The sale raises questions about the timeline and mechanics of converting seized crypto-adjacent assets into victim restitution. Asset recovery from high-profile fraud cases involving multiple legal frameworks remains operationally complex, with coordination between government agencies and bankruptcy administrators adding procedural layers.

• $50 million in Anthropic equity seized from two ex-FTX insiders was sold to existing investors; proceeds remain pending distribution to victims.
• The case illustrates friction between criminal asset forfeiture and bankruptcy law, both processes that must align to compensate creditors and fraud victims.