Wintermute founder and CEO Evgeny Gaevoy disclosed on the X platform that the NEAR Foundation and Aurora refused to fulfill the redemption commitment of 11.2 million USN involving FTX. Wintermute said it will make one last public attempt to ask the NEAR Foundation to complete the redemption. If the NEAR Foundation continues to do so, Wintermute will take legal measures.
Gaevoy said Wintermute has been working with the FTX bankruptcy estate since the spring to facilitate the liquidation of its assets to maximize distribution to creditors. As part of this, Wintermute was asked to assist in the sale of 11.2 million USN, which Wintermute executed, providing over $11 million in funding to FTX creditors. The sale was based on NEAR's public statement of being able to exchange USN for USDT on a 1-to-1 basis, and when Wintermute submitted a redemption request, NEAR refused to honor its commitment. Two and a half months later, Wintermute still had not received any USDT and was eventually offered 20% of the amount involved.