Judge to Sam Bankman-Fried: You’re Staying in Jail
The crypto wunderkind keeps trying to convince the court he should be let out of lockup—where he was put for alleged misbehavior.
Reuters/Eduardo Munoz
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried spent months under cushy pre-trial home confinement until he leaked unflattering documents about a likely witness and landed himself in jail. On Thursday, a judge rejected his latest effort to get out.
Bankman-Fried’s lawyers had urged Judge Lewis Kaplan to grant their client a “temporary residence” for the duration of his trial, which begins next week, saying it was necessary for him to mount an effective defense.
They suggested hiring a security guard to escort Bankman-Fried from their offices every night, saying the guard would make sure he didn’t use “computers, cell phones, the Internet, television, or any electronic devices.”
The attorneys said Bankman-Fried would also agree to a “gag order” barring him from talking to anyone other than his lawyers, their staff, and his immediate family. Such a measure would have prevented additional instances of alleged witness tampering, after he shared documents about his former girlfriend and coworker Caroline Ellison to The New York Times.
Prosecutors challenged Bankman-Fried’s request, noting that the “inconveniences” cited in his motion were “common to all incarcerated defendants.” They also argued that he had failed to be specific about how his ability to prepare for trial was impeded.
Prosecutors quoted William Nardini, a judge on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit—which previously rejected Bankman-Fried’s petition for release—who said the crypto whiz kid should have thought about the effects of incarceration before he allegedly tried to intimidate or influence witnesses.
Sign Up for Our Cheat Sheet Newsletter
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“But like anyone else,” Nardini said, “if it is true that he has intimidated witnesses, at a certain point, he makes his own bed and sleeps in it.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.