Tangential to #2, there’s a scenario where this ends up as a reputational nightmare for EA.
If SBF committed fraud, there’s a distinct possibility that SBF will use altruism as a defence and/or justification for his actions in the coming months.
If the above happens, the issue may not die anytime soon. Given the scope of the event, and Sam’s prominence within EA, it would become a borderline obligation for any media outlet to mention it in any coverage of EA for years to come.
Depending on how things break, anyone with a public association with EA may be viewed through the lens of either “dangerously overcommitted to utilitarianism,” or “using EA as a cover for unethical behaviour.”
The author that Sequoia paid to write SBF’s puff piece (linked in earlier comment) has already put out a tweet to this effect:
A bad day for #SBF but even worse for #EA. Is this #ultilitarianism as psychological cover to run a #Ponzi scheme?
https://twitter.com/AdamcFisher/status/1590466104773992448
My concern at this point is the willingness of MacAskill and other prominent EA’s to condemn SBF. “Wait and see” is often preferred, but there may be permanent damage to EA’s reputation if SBF is not disavowed by EA leadership in due time.
Underlying #1 and #3, there’s the additional question of to what extent EA was motivation for SBF to engage in unethical behaviour.
Sequoia, one of the major investors in FTX, paid a writer to do a lengthy puff piece on SBF in September. EA makes numerous appearances:
https://www.sequoiacap.com/article/sam-bankman-fried-spotlight/
EA will be subject to intense scrutiny if SBF viewed reckless and fraudulent behaviour as execution risk for altruistic goals.