If you needed an argument for separation of economy and state, this is one of the better ones. The evidence is circumstantial but this smells fishier than gas station sushi. The conman known for collapsing the $32 billion FTX house of cards, Sam Bankman-Fried, and for donating untold tens of millions to both parties both directly and through – he admits himself – dark money, got a sweetheart deal in his bail that stuns lawyers.