- Caroline Ellison joined Manifund full-time on August 10 after starting a work trial on July 13.
- Her responsibilities include technical infrastructure, operations and customer support for the nonprofit funding platform.
- Cofounder Austin Chen acknowledges that using the pseudonym Carol compromised the organization’s transparency.
Caroline Ellison has joined nonprofit funding platform Manifund, cofounder Austin Chen announced on September 11. The former Alameda Research chief began a work trial July 13 and accepted a full-time position August 10.
She spent her first two months publishing work and supporting users under the pseudonym Carol. Her responsibilities cover platform development, operations and customer support.
Caroline Ellison Takes Technical Role at Grant Platform
Chen says Caroline Ellison will help develop the organization’s funding platform and research how to allocate philanthropic resources effectively. Manifund connects donors with projects through grants and other funding mechanisms.
One early assignment involved building a reconciliation tool. According to Chen, it identified incorrectly recorded database transactions involving five- and six-figure amounts.
Caroline Ellison says she plans to continue improving technical infrastructure and assisting users. She also intends to publish updates through the nonprofit’s newsletter.
The appointment follows her involvement in the FTX fraud case. She pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges in December 2022 and cooperated with prosecutors.
Her testimony helped prosecutors secure the conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who received a 25-year prison sentence. Ellison began serving a two-year sentence in November 2024 and left prison in January 2026.
Pseudonym Disclosure Prompts Questions About Transparency
Chen defended hiring Caroline Ellison as an opportunity for rehabilitation, citing her admission of wrongdoing and work performance. “I believe in redemption,” he wrote.
However, he acknowledged that concealing her identity conflicted with the organization’s transparency commitments. He apologized for the pseudonym while defending its temporary use.
Caroline Ellison explained that she initially wanted to avoid announcing a trial position that might not become permanent. She apologized for her conduct at Alameda and FTX and thanked Chen for another opportunity.
The announcement also drew criticism in the comments. Cate Hall described the hiring as “truly terrible judgment” and warned of reputational damage to effective altruism organisations.
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