According to an excerpt from Michael Lewis’ new book on FTX, “Going Infinite,” published by The Washington Post on Monday, Anna Wintour’s team was furious when FTX’s co-founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried rejected a Meta Gala invite, and they vowed that he’d “never step foot in fashion again” after the incident.

According to the passage, Bankman-Fried held a Zoom conference with Wintour on Valentine’s Day in 2022 while staying at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

The crypto tycoon “didn’t know who she was” but was somewhat aware that she was the editor of a magazine, Lewis said on CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

Bankman-Fried, who was late for the appointment, was playing his favorite computer game, Storybook Brawl, and unconsciously answered “yup” to everything Wintour said, even her personal invitation to the Met Gala. He even agreed to Wintour’s proposal that he fund the entire event.

Lewis reported that Wintour closed the session “warmly” and that she had obtained what she came for. Following the discussion, Bankman-Fried stated, “‘I would have to think hard if this is something I want to go to,'” according to the clip.

“‘I’d be completely out of place there.” It’ll be a difficult needle to thread.'”

Despite Bankman-Fried’s reservations, FTX’s marketing team approached Louis Vuitton about designing a red carpet appearance for his t-shirt and cargo shorts outfit. Other FTX employees paid Tom Ford to create a more sophisticated ensemble, complete with $65,000 cuff links.

Bankman-Fried eventually declined, but it was FTX’s former head of public relations, Natalie Tien, who had to deal with the aftermath with Wintour’s staff.

“Natalie was expecting Anna Wintour’s people to be disappointed when she told them Sam wouldn’t be there,” Lewis wrote. ‘They phoned and yelled and claimed Sam would never step foot in fashion again!’ She was taken aback.

Lewis told “60 Minutes” that he was astonished Wintour wanted Bankman-Fried to attend the Met Gala at all, given that he is “the worst-dressed person in America” and “the worst-dressed billionaire in the history of billionaires.”

In November 2022, FTX Group and allied entities, notably trading firm Alameda Research, declared bankruptcy. The failure of the corporation showed that FTX had secretly moved consumer money to Alameda.

Since then, FTX’s founders have pleaded not guilty to eight criminal accusations, including securities fraud and money laundering conspiracy.