Although the original focus of the FTX ordeal was on 30-year-old Sam Bankman-Fried, who is facing criminal charges including fraud and conspiracy, as the bankruptcy proceedings have advanced theyve entangled his parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, as well as his brother, Gabriel Bankman-Fried.

And according to a recent court filing, at least his mom and his brother are not jumping to cooperate with the companys lawyers.

Last week, lawyers for FTXs new management asked the judge overseeing the companys bankruptcy to issue subpoenas to Bankman-Fried along with his family members and business associates whose missing information is critical to the Debtors and Committees recovery efforts, according to the Jan. 25 court filing.

SBF hadnt responded or voluntarily complied to give information to FTXs lawyers for the bankruptcy proceedings as of the date of the filing.

Heres a look at what we know about SBFs family members and their potential roles in the FTX bankruptcy:

Joseph Bankman

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SBFs father is a professor of law and business at Stanford University, and his bio on Stanfords website describes him as a leading scholar in the field of tax law. He got his bachelors degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1977, where FTX once had a 10-year naming rights deal for the football stadium. He got his law degree at Yale. He also has a degree in clinical psychology.

SBF told the New York Times in November that his parents bore no responsibility for the failure of FTX, but Bankman reportedly was once an FTX employee, who often traveled to the Bahamas, where the company was based.

The Jan. 25 court filing alleged that Bankman closely advised his son while he was running what was once one of the biggest crypto exchanges in the world. Citing the New York Times, the filing alleges that Bankman was deeply involved in FTX going so far as to recruit its first lawyers, join FTX staff in meetings on Capitol Hill, and provide FTX employees with advice on tax-related matters.

According to the court filing, Bankman has been more cooperative than his other two family members. His counsel has said they expect to produce the FTX-related documents the companys lawyers are seeking, according to the filing.

Barbara Fried

David Dee DelgadoGetty Images

SBFs mother, Barbara Fried, is a professor emerita at Stanford who retired in September. She received her undergraduate, masters, and law degrees from Harvard University.

She wasnt a paid employee of FTX, but SBF contributed to her political advocacy network, Mind the Gap, which supported Democratic campaigns and interests. She resigned as chairwoman of the organization in November.

When Fried visited the Bahamas, she and her husband stayed at a $16.4 million house in a gated community that was in their names despite understanding that the house was intended to be the companys property, according to the filing, which cited the Times. 

Unlike her husband, Fried has ignored all requests for cooperation and information sent by the companys lawyers, according to the filing.

Gabriel Bankman-Fried

SBFs younger brother, Gabriel Bankman-Fried, was described in the court filing as the disgraced CEOs political adviser. 

The filing alleges that the younger Bankman-Fried, a former congressional staffer, coordinated closely with his brother on political donations, and that SBF helped fund his nonprofit, Guarding Against Pandemics.

The organization, according to FTX lawyers, lobbied for and sought to influence legislation in Congress, endorsed candidates for public office, and advocated on pandemic-related issues.

It also bought a multimillion-dollar property close to the Capitol, which lawyers for FTX allege was bought with misappropriated customer funds.

Starting in October 2021, SBF and his brother along with their associates donated at least $70 million to research projects, campaign donations, and other initiatives related to preventing the next pandemic, according to the Washington Post. Gabriel Bankman-Fried stepped down as director of the nonprofit last November.

According to the filing, FTX lawyers have not received meaningful engagement or any response to inquiries sent to the younger Bankman-Fried.

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How to know whats safe and whats not

Many people think that just because certain drugs are sold without a prescription, theyre safe, says Patty Slattum, a geriatric clinical pharmacologist and director of the Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Not only does aging change the way our bodies process medication, but when used chronically or in combination with other medications, thats when we see problems occur.

Approximately 83% of U.S. adults in their 60s and 70s used at least one prescription drug in the last 30 days, and about one-third used five or more prescription drugs, most commonly for cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, many seniors also take non-prescription products for everything from arthritis pain to constipation, and theyre not always discussing their use with a physician or pharmacist. A report from Northwestern University found that while 86% of patients think their doctor knows about all the over the counter medicines they take regularly, only 46% says they actually had a conversation about these products.

When mixed with prescription drugs, active ingredients in cold, allergy, and other common medications can be recipe for serious problems. You can take too much and not realize it, causing other medication to be less effective and potentially leading to organ damage if this happens regularly, says Slattum.

Hidden side effects

Common pain relievers, like ibuprofen or aspirin, alone or in combination with other medication, can lead to increased risk of bleeding, stomach and kidney problems. Antihistamines, decongestants, and sleep aids can affect memory, cause dry mouth and urinary retention. These products may also cause daytime drowsiness, leading to balance problems and increased fall risk. Decongestants can also raise blood pressure, and can interfere with sodium excretion.

Our brain becomes more sensitive to many of these ingredients, and that can lead to what some have described as a hangover effect and confusion the next day, Slattum says.

Certain vitamins and mineral supplements can also be harmful. Either people can take too much, leading to toxicity, or they can interfere with the effectiveness of prescription medications.

Too much vitamin A can lead to weakened bones; excessive doses of vitamin B6 can increase risk of neurological problems, and too much vitamin B12 can narrow coronary arteries. Since both aging and certain prescription drugs can affect a persons ability to absorb key nutrients from food, its best to use any vitamins or supplements under a doctors guidance.

Other health issues may come from Zinc, which is found in many cold medications and denture adhesives. In high doses, it can affect immune function, and is linked to higher risk of prostate cancer. Vitamin D supplements, recommended for many older people who dont get enough naturally, is linked to kidney stones, irregular heart rhythms, and confusion when taken in excess.

Be aware of natural products

What about the natural herbal products? Natural does not always mean safe, says Melinda Hemmelgarn, a registered dietician and former state nutrition specialist with the University of Missouri Extension program.

Just because a product is for sale, does not mean its been tested for either effectiveness or safety, including the presence of contaminants. Even with a Masters degree in human nutrition, I find the supplement shelves to be overwhelming, says Hemmelgarn, host of the Food Sleuth Radio show.

Some botanicals and herbs can cause serious harm if taken with certain prescription medicationssuch as increased risk of bleeding in those taking blood thinners, or interfering with insulin levels. Some slow down the absorption processes in your body and can actually increase the amount of that drug in your system, according to the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health.

The FDA does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before theyre sold to the public. Its up to manufacturers to ensure their products meet safety standards and are not otherwise in violation of the law. So, its buyer beware, Hemmelgarn says.

The best advice is to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication and make sure everyone is in the loop about what youre taking, regardless of whether its by prescription or sold over the counter.

Not every potential side effect or warning can be put on a tiny label, and the list of active and inactive ingredients can be confusing, Slattum says. We can help you find alternatives that will minimize risk and avoid potentially serious health problems.

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With financial markets anticipating that the Fed will stop raising rates soon and possibly even cut them later this year, analysts say Powell will need to push back against such optimism. If financial markets expect lower rates than what the Fed plans to deliver, the central banks already treacherous task can become even harder.

Powells tough message will likely emerge at a news conference after the Feds 19-member policy committee announces its latest action. The policymakers are set to raise their benchmark rate by a quarter-point to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%, its highest level in about 15 years. The move could further increase borrowing rates for consumers as well as companies, ranging from mortgages to auto and business loans.

In some ways, the Feds challenge is trickier than it was last year, when inflation accelerated much faster than officials had expected. After being caught off guard Powell had initially characterized high inflation as only a temporary phenomenon officials developed a clear view of what was needed: An aggressive series of rate hikes to slow borrowing and spending, cool growth and curb high inflation.

Now, though, inflation has weakened since the fall. As a result, the risks that the Feds rate hikes could send the economy into a painful recession, with waves of job losses, are rising. Consumer prices, by the Feds preferred measure, have risen at just a 2.9% annual rate in the past three months. Yet Fed officials have said they would need to see further evidence that inflation was declining closer to its 2% target before they would consider suspending their rate hikes.

The latest sign that inflation is cooling came Tuesday in a report that showed wage growth slowed in the final three months of last year for a third straight quarter. That report could reassure Fed officials that rising paychecks are now less likely to fuel inflation.

Over the past year, with businesses offering healthy raises to try to attract and keep enough workers, Powell has expressed concern that hefty pay growth in the labor-intensive service sector would keep inflation too high. Businesses typically pass their increased labor costs on to their customers by charging higher prices, thereby perpetuating inflation pressures.

Some economists think the Fed doesnt need to push rates much higher and that doing so would heighten the risk of a deep recession. Economists at Morgan Stanley suggest that as inflation continues to ease in the coming months, Wednesdays rate hike will end up being the last one this year.

The Fed could signal that a pause in rate hikes is on the horizon by changing some language in the statement it issues after each policy meeting.

Since March, the statement has said that ongoing increases in the (interest rate) target range will be appropriate. Some economists expect officials to slightly alter that part of the statement to make it a less specific commitment and give the Fed more flexibility.

Still, Powell isnt likely to signal that a pause in rate increases will occur anytime soon, out of concern that such a message could touch off rallies in stocks and bonds. Those trends could boost the economy and inflation by giving consumers more money to spend and encouraging people and businesses to borrow more. Thats just the opposite of what the Fed wants.

Hes got to put a hawkish tint to everything he says, said Vincent Reinhart, chief economist at Dreyfus and Mellon and a former top Fed staffer. (In Fed parlance, hawks typically favor higher rates to control inflation, while doves often lean toward lower rates to support employment.)

Everybody is basically saying, Hey, Chair Powell, lets do your victory lap, Reinhart said. And hes like, Were only where we are because of our vigilance, and we cant let it down now.

Financial markets have strengthened in anticipation of lower rates ahead. In December, Fed officials had forecast that they would raise their key rate above 5%. Investors, though, expect them to stop at a range of 4.75% to 5% and to end up cutting rates before the year is out. Thats true even though Powell has gone out of his way to stress that the Fed doesnt expect to cut rates this year.

The divide between the Fed and financial markets is important because rate hikes need to work through markets to affect the economy. The Fed directly controls its key short-term rate. But it has only indirect control over the borrowing rates that people and businesses actually pay for mortgages, corporate bonds, auto loans and many others.

The consequences can be seen in housing. The average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage soared after the Fed first began hiking rates. Eventually, it topped 7%, more than twice where it had stood before the hiking began.

Yet since the fall, the average mortgage rate has eased to 6.13%, the lowest level since September. And while home sales fell further in December, a measure of signed contracts to buy homes actually rose. That suggested that lower rates might be luring some home buyers back to the market.

Broader measures of so-called financial conditions, which include things like corporate borrowing costs, also show looser credit.

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Its why CEOs like Elon Musk, Disneys Bob Iger and Starbucks Howard Schultz are mandating workers return to the office. 

And perhaps theyre right.

Just as there were time-wasters in the workplace pre-pandemic, there will undoubtedly be people abusing the trust bestowed on them to actually work while at home. 

Surrounded by home comforts like a wide-screen television and fridge filled with your favorite snacks, it can be all too easy to put yourself on mute during meetings and watch re-runs of Friends in pajamas instead. 

If that sounds like you, be warned: When all remote workers are painted with the same brush, your laziness could result in your remote team being less trusted to do their job and penalized.

This could look like an increase in micromanaging tactics or worse, a return to working in an office five days a week. 

So if you know youre not at your most productive while working from home, listen up; Here are four things you can do to reduce distractions, be less lazy and stop giving remote workers a bad rep. 

Create a fake commute

It might seem counter-intuitive to start your day by walking away from your home desk, but dont knock it until you try it. 

In-office work typically involves a commute that physically separates the employees home and work lives, says Jill Cotton, Glassdoors careers advice expert. For some, that lack of structure can become a struggle. 

I once spoke with a manager who got dressed for work, had breakfast with the family, and then walked out the front door only to turn around and head down to his basement office to work for the day, echoes Mark Mortensen, associate professor of organizational behavior at Insead.

At the end of the day, he would similarly emerge from his basement, to announce honey, Im home.

While this sort of ritual may seem a bit over the top, it played a critical role in creating a boundary and helping him differentiate between relaxed family time and focused work time, Mortensen adds.

Plus, theres no denying that how you dress, directly impacts how you feel.

Staying in your PJs all day sends the mental signal to your brain that youre lounging, Cheryl Naumann, chief human resources Officer at the University of Phoenix, says while adding that the pace and manner in which you work will likely follow that signal.

Embrace your newfound flexibility

Remote working hasnt necessarily made people lazier, according to Ioana Lupu, an associate professor at ESSEC Business School. The wider issue is that people have a lot of new-found flexibility and they dont know what to do with it.

Despite being able to work from your garden, in a cafe, or in any room of the house that suits you, most people wind up sitting at the same make-shift desk day-in day-out, which of course doesnt inspire productivity. 

Instead, remote workers should make the most of their newfound flexibility by designing a day that suits your needs and those of the company, suggests Cotton.

This could look like taking walking meetings over the phone or using different rooms in the house for different tasks to give variety to your day.

More drastic measures could look like, if youre a morning person for example, asking your manager if you can do your head-down tasks at 7am instead of in the afternoon when youre more likely to experience a slump.

Track your productivity 

Do you wake up in the morning full of hope for the day ahead and then wonder where the day went by 5pm?

If youve been on your work laptop all day but have nothing to show for it, then its time to track your productivity.

The simplest no-frills way of doing this is through a to-do list. Cotton says that creating one daily will help keep you on track and ensure you complete all the tasks needed in your role.

Take out a piece of paper or open a word document in your laptop and start jotting down everything you need to do that day. Then rejig it in order of importance. 

That way you can see how productive your day was by how many tasks you have ticked off your list. 

Plus, by being disciplined and setting self-imposed deadlines which prioritize urgent tasks first, youll be seen as more productive than if you had spent the whole day online working on tasks that arent business priorities.

With your line manager in a different location, the willpower to enforce deadlines is crucial, adds Cotton. 

Schedule downtime in your diary

With remote and flexible working becoming more commonplace, the boundaries between when is work time and when is down-time is blurring.  

As a result, people are working longer hours, says Mortensen.

In this new working world, taking out-of-hours Zoom meetings according to other peoples flexible working schedules or working on projects in the evening after the school pick-up, is not uncommon.

We need to make sure that one persons laziness is not another persons needed downtime after a substantial block of unseen after-hours work, Mortensen warns.

Dispel any perceived laziness from the top, by making your boss aware of the extra hours that you are putting in and how that might impact your performance during your actual business hours. 

Meanwhile, no matter what time you clock off work, your daily schedule should also include regular breaks to maintain productivity levels. 

Cotton suggests timing your break with your favorite downtime activity to avoid getting distracted and keep you on track.

For example, if you are taking an extra long lunch break because the company ower you two hours from the evening prior, then watch a movie thats around as long as the break you intend to take. Whereas, if you know you only have half an hour to hit pause, then listen to a podcast of that length. 

But ultimately, if your boss thinks youre unproductive, even though you know that youve removed all distractions in your way, youre communicating effectively and youre ticking off your to-do lists, then it could point to a wider management issue. 

The remote work paradigm shift requires that both remote workers and their leaders flex and adapt to a new way of working, echoes Naumann.