The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble

A gripping and entertaining memoir that shines a rare light on an industry that is disrupting our lives.

Veteran Morgan Stanley banker Alok Sama thought he’d seen it all. Then he found himself chief dealmaker at the most influential technology investor in the world--SoftBank, the backer of Arm Holdings, Yahoo, Nvidia, TikTok, Uber, T-Mobile, Alibaba and WeWork.

The Money Trap is Sama’s thrilling, stranger-than-fiction personal odyssey featuring his experiences alongside SoftBank’s iconic founder, Masayoshi Son, a visionary maverick who wants to be remembered as ＂the crazy guy who bet on the future＂ and whose mission is ＂happiness for everyone.＂ Sama takes the reader on a wild journey as he consorts with A-list CEOs and heads of state, and negotiates mega-deals on a Gulfstream jet, Son’s sanctuary with its exquisite Japanese garden, and a waterside restaurant in the Turkish Riviera--all while contending with a mysterious dark-arts smear campaign that takes a toll on his private life.

This fascinating and humorous saga provides a unique insider perspective on the insanity of high finance and venture investing. Written with self-deprecating wit, unflinching honesty and searing introspection, The Money Trap is ultimately a morality tale: in life, as in technology investing, more money isn’t always the answer.

ALOK SAMA is the former President and CFO of SoftBank Group International. He previously served as a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley, and has worked in finance for over thirty years. He is currently a Senior Advisor to the private equity firm Warburg Pincus, and Chairman of the Advisory Board for venture capital firm Valhalla Ventures. Sama holds an MBA from The Wharton School and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. He lives in New York City with his wife, Maya, as do his two adult children, Samir and Alya.