[vkou]

> What was the exact moment the fraud began?

When he used customer funds deposited into FTX to gamble through Alameda.

Since customer deposits into 'FTX' went straight to Alameda's bank account, it began pretty much the moment Alameda executed a trade. Everything after that was just more fraud to cover up the consequences of the original fraud.

> What should he have done instead?

Not treat customer deposits like a personal piggy-bank.