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"Bankman-Fried and his co-conspirators stole billions of dollars from FTX customers. He used that money for his personal benefit, including to make personal investments, and to cover investments and debts of his hedge fund, Alameda Research," said Damien Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, at a news conference announcing the charges.

Williams said Bankman-Fried made illegal campaign contributions to Democrats and Republicans with "stolen customer money."

"While this is our first public announcement, it will not be our last," he said, adding Bankman-Fried "made tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions."

The charges come a day after Bankman-Fried was arrested at his home in Nassau, Bahamas, on a U.S. warrant.

The 30-year-old Bankman-Fried, appearing relaxed in a blue shirt, arrived at a heavily guarded Bahamas court on Tuesday for his first in-person public appearance since the cryptocurrency exchange's collapse. He told the court he could fight extradition to the United States. A Bahamas judge adjourned the hearing to consider whether the court has jurisdiction over bail.

FTX filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11, leaving an estimated 1 million customers and other investors facing losses in the billions of dollars. The collapse reverberated across the crypto world and sent bitcoin and other digital assets plummeting.