Judge Lewis Kaplan has revoked the bail of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, denying the defence’s request to delay his detention pending appeal. According to CNBC, the judge ruled in favour of a motion filed by federal prosecutors after the government complained about Bankman-Fried’s potential to tamper with both witnesses and the jury in his upcoming criminal trial.
The ex-FTX chief will be jailed at Putnam until his trial on October 2nd. Bankman-Fried will have access to the internet at the facility as he prepares his defence. Inner City Press has reported that defence lawyers have already filed an appeal.
Prosecutors said that Bankman-Fried had tried to interfere with witnesses on at least two occasions. In July, the DOJ had allleged that SBF leaked the private diary of his former colleague and now star federal witness Caroline Alison to a New York Times reporter. The goal was to discredit Alison and possibly affect the jurors. During the last hearing, Judge Kaplan had warned Bankman-Fried about his behaviour, noting the bail could be revoked.
This is the latest development in the case of the former FTX CEO.
