The SBF bail has been the most talked about topic in the crypto world in the last week, and finally, he is granted bail, and now he is under house arrest. SBF, the founder of FTX, is likely to be freed after paying a $250 million bond, surpassing that of infamous financial scammer Bernie Madoff, who was given a $10 million bail agreement in 2008.
This could be one of the highest bonds presented to the court before the trial even started. But the question is who paid the bond because a few days ago, SBF, in an interview, said that he had just $100,000 in his bank account following the failure of the business he built and his withdrawal as CEO
Who paid the bond for SBF?
The bail conditions for Bankman-Fried on bail included a $250 million bond, home confinement, location monitoring, and surrendering his passport, according to reports. SBF’s bail had been approved, and the New York Times announced on December 22 that he would be returning to live with his parents in Palo Alto, California. His parents bought his bail with the value of their house.
The terms that are proposed by the authorities are accepted by SBF, according to his defense attorney. He was arrested a few days ago in the Bahamas at the request of American officials. At that time, he was offered no bail because of his fleeing. Later, on December 20, the Federal Bureau of Investigation took him back to the country.
Why was the bail granted?
According to Judge Gorenstein, he approved the bail arrangement because he thought Mr. Bankman-Fried wouldn’t flee and wouldn’t be a danger to the public. Furthermore, the judge said that it is next to impossible for SBF to hide from now onwards, and he would not be able to engage in any financial activity because of his reputation.
The bail request was authorized by U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein in a federal district court in Manhattan. Additionally, the bail was granted on the condition of SBF’s “strict pretrial supervision.” The supervision would include mental health therapy and assessment because he is well-recognized for having depression and taking prescription drugs.
Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang pleaded guilty
On Wednesday night, after American authorities got SBF on a flight to New York, they declared that two of his closest accomplices, Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang, had admitted responsibility to a number of crimes and were working with investigators.
According to their plea deals, former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX Chief Technology Officer Gary Wang each admitted guilt to seven criminal charges. These charges will strengthen the case against SBF, and he might face charges he is not expecting
He is charged with scamming investors, lenders, and clients. It might also put other former FTX executives who participated in the alleged scam in more legal danger because prosecutors will have two insiders’ accounts and record to support their case in any further trials.
Final thought
Though FTX has been down for the last one and a half months, the legal cases have yet to start, and these cases may end the careers of many top FTX executives. According to legal advisors, SBF may face life imprisonment alongside Ellison and Wang as both of them are about to charge for their roles in defrauding FTX investors.
